Favorite Things

I was sitting here trying to figure out what to blog about since it has been a few days since I posted. So what better than to post a few of my favorite things (on the internet...lol)? In no particular order....

1. My favorite Quote:

"Happiness is a butterfly which when pursued is just out of grasp... But if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you." Nathaniel Hawthorne

How true this is. So many times we reach out and try and consume happiness but sometimes we need to let happiness come to us. Let it find its way in our heart.

2. One of my favorite blogs. This site makes me laugh every time.

I Can Has Cheezeburger

3. Can't choose just one song, but these are my recent favorites (they change weekly..lol)

4. Favorite Comedy Video - If you've never seen Achmed the Dead Terrorist and Jeff Dunham your missing out. Have a look...

5. Twitter.com and all the wonderful friends I have met there! My life would not be the same without some of them!! Thank you!!

6. A place where secrets are sad, funny, real, where some come way to close for comfort, yet a site I visit every Sunday. I guess thats the nosy part of me coming out. ~~~~~> Post Secret

7. Need a quote? Some good ones here. ~~~> DB Quotes

8. Flickr. com is a great place for inspiration.

Ok, so thats just a few of the things that I frequent most days...maybe you will enjoy some of them too.

Until we meet again... Ciao =)

T'was the Night Before Christmas

Every Christmas Eve, our family has a simple tradition before going to bed. First, of course, is the opening of a few small gifts. Every year we buy the kids a new Hallmark ornament to put on the tree so when they are older and are gone from the house, they can take their ornaments with them and start their own tree. We also, as a tradition, let them open a gift of pajamas to wear on the Eve of Christmas. Even though they know what they are getting, it is always exciting to them to be able to open a few gifts before Christmas morning.

Another thing we do is read one of my favorite Christmas stories, T'was the Night Before Christmas. We take turns reading the lines now that my son is an avid reader along with my daughter and when thats complete, we put on our new pj's, brush our teeth, lay out cookies and milk for Santa and off to bed they go.

Wishing a very Merry Christmas to all of you and yours. I leave you with the story T'was the Night Before Christmas courtesy of this website.

Twas the Night before Christmas Poem

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

Change

Change is something that we all have to endure. It's inevitable. Some changes are good, some bad. Some will not really affect you, and some are just plain heart wrenching. Either way, we have to deal with it. We have to make a choice on how we are going to handle it. Sometimes, that in itself, is harder than what has changed or what needs to be changed.

In talking to a friend yesterday, I realized a lot of hard truths about myself. Things that I know are there and need to be dealt with. Things that I know I need to change or it will eventually eat at me until I can't handle it anymore. Or even worse, destroy those around me: my family, my friends. What struck me the most though, was the fact that without me saying what was going on, he knew. Like he was inside my head. It kind of scared me at first, that he knew so much about how I was feeling, because its not something that I freely say or admit to. It all came from observation. It hit me that if he could see it, how many others could see it too. That did not sit well with me.

I'm not going to sit here and list all that we discussed as that would just open me up to things that I, for one, am not ready for. Its not what is wrong that is important, its that i'm going to change it. I have to make the choice to step up to the plate and make a decision to make my life better, because no one else is going to do it for me, nor can they.

Change is almost always difficult, and the changes that I have to make are certainly not easy and will not happen overnight, yet I am willing to push on and move forward. What will help immensely is something that my friend said to me. After a great deal of time was spent, he said something to me that will always be in the forefront of my mind. Three little words that made me cry, not because I was sad, but because for once it actually felt like someone gave a damn. He said "you're worth it". He will never truly know how much those words meant to me. So for that I want to say Thank You! I really don't know what I would do without you!

So... heres to change *holds up invisible glass and "tinks" yours*.

Ciao. --- "thats the European dream.. to ride a moped and go. Chow.."

What color is YOUR brain?

Ok, so these things are a bit silly, but we all need a bit of silliness in our lives, hm? So, here are my results...

Your Brain is Purple

Of all the brain types, yours is the most idealistic.
You tend to think wild, amazing thoughts. Your dreams and fantasies are intense.
Your thoughts are creative, inventive, and without boundaries.

You tend to spend a lot of time thinking of fictional people and places - or a very different life for yourself.

~~~~~~~

Kinda neat, I suppose, yet pretty close too. So, what color is YOUR brain? Go here to find out ~~~> QUIZ

Balance

Ok, so I have been sick the last three days with the worst cold I have ever had! Fever. Chills. Ginormous headache - ok so i know that is not a word, but it was a biggen!! Body aches. Coughing. Sneezing - at one time, 15 in a bloody row. I had to actually catch my breath after that. I remained in my house for three days straight and barely moved my behind off the couch. Yeah, I know, poor me! NOT. I know I'm not the only one in the world to get sick so I'm not looking for a pity party, especially since I feel 80% better today. But no, this is just leading into today, my first day of work this week. My Monday.

I hate Mondays. Most people do. Mondays are always the busiest day for me at work and getting up after a good weekend is not fun, no matter how you stack the deck. So this week I got to skip Monday, kind of. Nuff said on Mondays =P

I got up on time today, well almost, got ready and took my normal drive into work. The drive today was nice though. The roads were clear from the ice storms we had had a few days previously, but the bare trees were still covered in the ice. There was a fog that was low but not so low to hinder your driving and it was just a sight that made me smile and actually enjoy the trip in. I realized that I don't pay much attention in either driving into work or driving home in the beauty that surrounds me every day. I'm usually trying to avoid the ones that can't drive. You know the ones: those that are looking at maps, putting on make-up, fighting with the kids in the back, cell phone users (texting included), those that drive with dogs on their laps (seriously - come ON), and those that just do not know how to use their mirrors and just change lanes at will. So, I suppose you can see why its difficult to take in the scenery. However, today I made a mental note to try and notice these kinds of things more. No, not the idiots on the road, but the natural beauty that surrounds us that is all to often missed.

Another thing that struck me today was an encounter with a co-worker that is also a very good friend of mine. Sometimes its hard to balance work with friends at work, especially those that you actually socialize with in the outside world. This particular friend/peer of mine is also a step up on the ladder from where I am, but fairly new in the position, so she trusts my knowledge and comes to me with questions. She is an amazing team player and one hell of a motivational woman. She is our teams biggest cheerleader and will be the first to say something nice about you or what a fantastic job you've done, and very rarely says anything bad about anyone. However, she cuts herself down so much it pains me. There are days, like today, I just want to ring her neck and shake her and say "V, lets look at the big picture here. You are not a screw up. You KNOW your job. You have got to ignore all the boobs that don't appreciate you and your hard work." She takes everything so personally, even if its not meant towards her. Our saying is that we have too many Chief's on our team and not enough Indians, which is true. We have so many people that think they know everything and them some, those that think their shit don't stink, and what they do is better than everyone else. God forbid if they make a mistake. So anyway, today she made a mistake. It wasn't a big mistake and it was able to be corrected, we just had to locate where it originated and go from there. The poor thing was almost in tears because she thought she let me down (I was the one she was trying to help since I had been out sick) and nothing I could say or do would change her mind. We went round and round for over an hour, not fighting, but discussing the matter at hand. In the end (after a much needed lunch break) we figured it out, set it all straight, and I got a hug out of the deal.

Today's happenings just made me realize that you CAN balance work and friendship. Work will always be work and you can always leave that behind, hopefully at 5 p.m. every day, and your friends will always be friends that you carry everywhere you go, and never leave them behind, even if work puts a few hiccups in it.

Simple Pleasures

There are many things in life that bring us joy but sometimes its the simplest of things that bring the most pleasure.

One of these things, for me, is making home made bread. I don't always have time to do this, but I do try and make it every Saturday morning. I love doing this for several reasons...

• Its easy, but time consuming
• It makes the house smell absolutely wonderful
• It tastes yummy
• My kids like to help and I hope my daughter (and/or son will do so when they are grown)
• My mother in law makes her own bread
• My mother makes her own bread...well...she used to {sigh}
• I feel its a tradition that has been lost in this time. Everyone is too busy so this is a way I make myself slow down and enjoy.
• Everyone loves me and ooohhs and ahhhas after its done,so it feels good

So, because of the above I would like to share the recipe and instructions in hope that you'd at least give it a try. It really is easy, just need to have the time to do it.

~~~~~~~~~~~

White Bread

• 2 1/2 tsp. active yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 2 cups mils, scalded
• 2 TBS sugar
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 TBS butter (or shortening)
• 5 3/4 to 6 1/4 cups flour

Take 1/4 tsp of the sugar and place in the measuring cup along with the water. Add the active yeast and stir slightly. Set aside. If your yeast is good, the mixture will start to rise and bubble. This is what you want it to do.

In your mixer bowl add remaining 1 3/4 tsp sugar, scalded milk, salt and butter. Cool to lukewarm. What I do here is add a few icecubes, melt them to bring the temp down. You don't want it too hot or it will ruin the yeast. Once lukewarm, stir in 2 cups of the flour and mix on low speed. Once mixed add in the yeast mixture and mix. Continue to add in the flour one cup at a time and mix well after each cup. I usually add 3 cups this way and then I start adding by the spoonful until the dough becomes moderately stiff and starts pulling away from the sides of your mixer.

*You do not have to have a mixer in order to do this. Mix as you would anything else until the dough starts to become tougher and slightly sticky.

Place dough on lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, adding flour as needed if it is still sticky. Shape into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface.

Using a clean kitchen towel (lint free), run under hot water, ring out and place over the top of the bowl. This keeps it moist so it does not dry out during the rising process. Place in warm area until the dough is double in size.

Once risen, divide into two equal parts, knead a bit more to remove some of the air bubbles, shape into loaves. place in two greased bread pans. Re-warm the towels and place over the top of both pans. Let rise until double, or the size of a loaf of bread, ( It should fill the pan). The cooler it is the longer this will take to rise.

**TIP: What I do is fill a metal pan with piping hot water and place in the bottom of my oven, under the rack. Then place the pans with the dough just above that on the rack. This locks in the heat and moisture from the hot water and assists with rising. DO NOT turn the oven on when rising.

Bake in hot oven at 400 degrees F for 35 minutes or until done. (tops will be lightly browned) If tops brown too fast, cover loosely with foil the last 15 minutes. Makes 2 loaves.

~~~~~~~~

This seems lenghty, but I just explained how I do it. It seems to work the best for me doing this process.

Once you've tried it, you will see how easy this is and hopefully continue to make your own homemade bread. YUMMY!!

"Uranus"

I'm smiling even thinking about writing this post and even debating on whether or not I should even post this, but it made me laugh like crazy so maybe it will do the same for you. If you have children, you will appreciate this even more...LOL!

So, one night after shopping we were hungry and stopped in a place called Fazoli's. For those of you who are not familiar, its kind of like a fast food Italian place. Good food! Fast service and the best bread sticks EVER! Well, we decided to eat in so the kids got these paper place mats and crayons to keep them busy while waiting for the food and while waiting for the parental units to finish eating as well.

At first glance these place mats were completely harmless and little did I know the humor and questions that would arise from this simple sheet of activities. The theme for these worksheets was the Solar System. Innocent, right? HA!

My daughter started doing a crossword on this sheet and one of the questions (which I cannot remember) had the answer of Uranus. Ok, so being the immature adult that I am, her saying the name of that planet made me laugh, for obvious reasons. Oh, you should know, she is only 10 and my son is 6. My daughter asks me, "Mom, what's so funny about Uranus?". She has a complete straight face and I completely lose it. I started laughing even harder, tears streaming down my face, unable to breathe. Due to me laughing, and the situation, dad begins to laugh as well, then my daughter and son begin to giggle even though they have no idea why.

We all finally settle down from laughing, wiping our eyes, taking deep breaths. Again, my daughter asks me why that was so funny. Now, as a mom, I ponder whether or not I should even go there with her because I know she will understand and most likely tell her friends. She keeps on persisting and I cave, BUT giving her a disclaimer that she is not to utter a word about this to her friends and especially to her teacher. She agrees.

I begin to explain to her that it sounds like a body part. She starts giggling hysterically so I figure she understood. Nope. She thought it was the other end, the other "male" end. I start laughing all over again and she is getting frustrated because she thinks I am laughing at her. I tell her, "No, honey, the other end." She is giggling hysterically again.

In the meantime my 6 year old son is across the table listening intently and absorbing every bit of the conversation. It's quite amazing what a little one can take in and understand. He looks at me, straight faced and said, "Mom? It means 'your butt'?". Then HE starts laughing!!

OMG I am losing it now.

On the way home he starts talking about our trip to Arizona and the bus ride we were taking to get to the Chicago O'Hare Airport. Out of the blue he starts singing, "I'm going to shake my 'Uranus' on the bus to the airport"...over and over and over and over...!

Once I realized what he was singing (because we had the radio on, and turned up a bit) I honestly thought I was going to pee my pants!

The things kids say....gotta love it!

Pure Innocence...

So lately I have been talking a lot about my new baby niece. I just cannot help it. She is just adorable and full of sweetness and she just makes me smile, and that's important!!

Today I was holding her while mom got some work done and I just could not stop staring at her. She was awake and happy, just content to look around and wiggle. I talked to her and told her stories. I giggled at her when she made those silly funny faces that babies make. I even laughed out loud when I saw a smile emerge on her face because she is way to young to know she is smiling. Some say its gas..who knows, but she made me laugh.

My father-in-law always used to say how it amazed him how babies ever survive and actually grow up. In a way, he had a point. They are so completely dependent upon you for everything and their only means of communication is crying and then you have to figure out what it is that they need. The entire process is quite amazing.

At one point I caught myself lost in thought as I stared at her. Realizing how lucky she was. Completely unaware, innocent. She doesn't know unhappiness, anger, loneliness, any of those hurtful feelings. Of course I'm not saying that I would want to revert back to being an infant, but to not know these feelings, even for one day, would be worth its weight in gold.

Anyway, I just had to brag a bit more about Madison, so I will bid you goodbye and leave you with a picture of her cuteness.

Lazy

Going back to work after a holiday is never fun. A nice long weekend is always great but going back is the most dreaded. Today wasn't quite so bad for me because I knew that I had the rest of the week off and was going to be on a plane to nice, wonderful, warm Arizona tomorrow. Despite the fact that I was an hour late to work because I put my lazy behind back to bed this morning, today was a pretty good day.

So lunchtime rolls around, right? I'm starvig because I hadn't eaten anything all day (because I was late I didn't have time to grab anything) and its just after 1 p.m. I run (ok, no I drove..giggles..) through the drive thru of the nearest trusty McDonalds to satisfy the craving for a Big Mac. I get to the window to get my food and they ask me to "pull up" as it will be a few minutes. OK. No problem. I pull up and park, turn up the radio and wait. I happen to glance over at a few guys getting into their car (no that is not why I was looking..sheesh..). Next thing I know, the driver takes his bag and what I would assume to be an old drink and set it on the ground beside him. Dude!! There is a trash can right in front of your car!! So this really pisses me off because he was just too lazy to get back out of his car to throw it away and thought it better to litter up the parking lot and Mother Earth. Grrrrr...

So because this bothered me so much, I got OUT of my car (still waiting for my food), walked up to the car, knocked on their window, picked up the trash and proceeded to throw it away. The guy rolls down his window and just stares. I brush my hands together as I walk back by and say, "See how easy that was?" All he could muster was, "Umm, thanks.". I think he was a bit embarrassed. Damn straight he should be!!
Now, don't get me wrong, I don't usually go and make a habit of doing things like that with all the crazies out there, but that was just plain stupid and lazy. Is it really that difficult to throw something away to help preserve what little left we have of a healthy environment? Some people this day and age just don't care.

So lets all do our part and throw away our own trash? Thanks =)

Invisible

I look out the window and watch as the rain falls.
The water trickles down the window glass,
Just as the tears stream down my face.

I sit and wonder how I got here.
Here, a place of sadness and loneliness.
Here, a place of hurt and melancholy.

You walk by without a second look.
Not a care or a wonder of why I hurt.
To you I am invisible.

Just reach out your hand and touch my heart.
Take my hand in yours with fingers interlocked.
Wipe away my tears and tell me you still care.

I sit and watch the clouds streak by.
They move fast and furiously along,
Just as my emotions rush through me.

I sit and wonder how I got here.
Here, a place of dysphoria and misery.
Here, a place of heartache and sorrow.

Today is almost over and tomorrow is yet to come.
The sun will rise and the sun will set,
But as tomorrow comes, I will still be invisible.

Tell me I can be happy again.
Tell me that everything will be alright.
Tell me that I won’t always feel alone.

Do you choose to be happy?

This was in my email today....

"The good things in life do not create happiness. The good things in life arise from happiness. If you wish to be happy, then be happy. It really is as simple as that. There's no need to wait until you acquire this or achieve that. If you constantly place conditions on happiness, you'll prevent yourself from experiencing it. Go ahead and be happy now, today, this very moment. Be happy for no reason at all, and you'll find that you're more effective, more productive, more creative and more fulfilled. Indeed, happiness is a powerful state of mind that is available to you when you allow it to be. The best reason to be happy is because you can. Being genuinely happy is a powerful way to express your confidence and your expectation that positive things will happen. And when you confidently expect the best, that's precisely what you get." -- Ralph Marston

As I read this I wonder, "is it really that easy?" I really don't think so, at least not for me. I don't believe that it just takes a snap of your fingers and all of a sudden your happy again. Sure, you can choose to either let something get the best of you or you can choose to deal with it, shake it off, and move on so you can be happy again.

My happiness depends so much on the happiness of others, sometimes I think too much. I'd rather the ones around me be happy than to wish for my own. That's not a bad thing, but after a while it takes its toll when you set aside your own joy. It takes it's toll when those around you recognize this character trait and take advantage. They take more than they give. In most cases they don't even realize they do it. Even so, it doesn't change how I am and it won't change the fact that I will always reach out to those that need it. If I can bring a bit of joy to them, that pleases me.

So back to the original question. Do you choose to be happy? I guess I've come to the conclusion that its just not that simple in all cases. Depends on what the world throws at you. I believe you can choose how to handle the situation which will directly affect your mood. In some cases I suppose it can be as simple as saying I choose to be happy, to not let your self get down, of course, but in most cases its more complex than the excerpt above leads you to believe. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for happiness, I prefer it actually. Especially after these last few weeks. Its just sometimes its not that black and white.

~~Ciao~~

One step at a time...

Everyday at work there is a woman in our office that sends out a daily motivation, if you choose to be on the mailing list. To be quite honest, I've been on this mailing list for over 5 years now and I barely ever read these. I just don't have the time. I get to work in the morning, open up my email, which is flooded, even though I cleaned it out the night before I left work, just to repeat the process. So usually what happens is that it gets lost in the shuffle of the "important" emails and just gets deleted. I know I shouldn't delete them, because the whole purpose for them to be sent out is to offer motivation, right? So, today I decided to read it. Who knows why because I had just been out for 6 days so my email box was over the top. Its funny though, I had six of them in my in bin but I only read todays. I am so glad I did because it really hit home and I wanted to share it with you.

"What it takes to persist...

You already have what it takes to persist. For persistence is nothing more than continuing to do what you've been doing.

Persistence makes the difference between no achievement and great achievement. And persistence is available to all who choose it.

The enemy of persistence is that little voice you hear in your head that urges you to give up. When you hear that voice, remember that you don't have to do what it says, and you don't have to fight it either.

Just listen to that voice, allow it to have its say, and then calmly let it go. Keep on going and you'll quickly be beyond it.

Remember often, with great detail and passion, why you've chosen to do what you're doing. Keep your focus on the goal, and know that by continuing to progress on your journey, one step at a time, you'll get there.

Persistence isn't complicated, and it doesn't require you to uncover some deep, dark, closely guarded secret. You have what it takes if you'll simply choose to do what it takes and persist until the job is done." -- Ralph Marston

My favorite line in all of that, is the part about taking one step at a time and you'll get there. So often we look at the world surrounding us as a complex obstacle course, which in a lot of instances it is. However, if we use this little bit of advice and just take everything one step at a time, we can conquer anything that we put our minds to.

So I leave you with these words to ponder and mull over. Just remember, the next time you have something that you have to accomplish, no matter how large or small, just take one step at a time and you WILL get there.

Until next time.. **blowing kisses**

Happiness Is...

The past eleven days have been some of the saddest days of my life. The sadness in my heart some days has been brutally overwhelming, yet I still keep going. I have to. There are days that I cry so much that my eyes burn by the end of the day, and there are some days that I don't cry at all. That doesn't mean that I don't think about what happened, or that I don't miss my mom, it's just I don't have any tears left sometimes.

I realized yesterday that I have to be more conscious of what I watch on T.V. I love movies, especially comedies and scary tales, but I have always been a sucker for sappy movies, especially the ones that made me cry. Which, normally, is no big deal. Yesterday I was flipping channels and found Stepmom. There really wasn't anything on so I left it there but by the end of that movie I found myself sobbing again, not because of the movie, but because it reminded me of my mom. The faucets ran for a while after that. So lesson learned, no sad movies for me for a bit.

Anyway, I didn't come here to write about more sadness. I came here to write about happiness. I am stopping to think about all the things that made me happy today, instead of all the things that made me sad. We so often dwell on the things that are wrong in our life, that we really need to sit back and appreciate the good things in our lives too. So, be it as it may, here are ten of the things that made me happy today (in no particular order) :

1. The Packers beat the Vikings today 34 -0!! Yes a big FAT zero!! The Vikings have not had a shut out game since 1991 and it was our pleasure to bring that upon them once again!!

2. Even though my little one was sick today, I asked him to go choose a movie that we could watch together. We sat on the couch and cuddled for almost two hours watching Sky High. The movie is questionable, but cuddling with my son was priceless.

3. I worked on my quilt(s) today. It has been sometime so I pulled it all out again and finished 4 blocks. This particular quilt I am working on is actually two quilts, one in light colors and one in dark colors. Its the same pattern, but I was making one for me, and one for my mom. It was going to be done by her birthday in March. This quilt for my mom will still be completed and I believe I will give it to my dad for him to enjoy, on my moms birthday. This made me happy because I knew I was still doing something for my mom that I KNOW she would have loved.

4. I made home made chili tonight, with croissant rolls spread with garlic. Yum. Such a simple pleasure, but it sure warms your blood on a cold day.

5. I went to Wal-Mart and the cashier actually said hello to me and smiled. We even chatted a bit. Let me tell you what a rare occasion that is these days. It was a pleasant surprise.

6. Amazing Race was on tonight. I love that show. It would be the ONLY reality show I would actually participate in. Oh, to see the world...even if in a race!

7. I got ALL my laundry done. Giggles. What a relief!

8. The Lions lost today. This is great for the Packers who are 8 and 1, because the Lions today went 6 and 3. I get to rub that into my dad who is a true Lion fan. Yes, it's ok if you feel sorry for him for that *wink*!! Unfortunately the Bears won, but they are only 4 and 5, so they are STILL behind..which makes me happy!! Woot!!

9. I got to eat Ben and Jerry's Peanut Butter Cup Ice cream...mmmm! I was naughty!

10. My Little Twin always makes me smile. Even in hard times in my life, and even in hers, she always can bring a smile to my face. I am eternally great full for knowing her!! She is the one person in my world that no matter what happens, can always make me happy!

Well, there you have it. Ten things that may be simple to some, but HUGE for me. These are just a few of the things that made me happy today.

I challenge all of you to write a similar post. You will feel great afterwards and find a smile on your face. One can never smile too much!

Until we meet again....**blowing kisses**

Laughter..

"Its been a rough day. I got up this morning ....
put on a shirt and a button fell off.
I picked up my briefcase and the handle came off.
I'm afraid to go to the bathroom."
~~Rodney Dangerfield~~

I began this post today with a funny quote, only because I needed a laugh today and this quote did just that. I hope it at least made you smile too.

So much sadness has surrounded me these last few days and I know that will not go away but I can choose for it not to consume me completely. The pain and hurt will always be there but sometimes even during the most painful of times, we all need to laugh. So tonight I perused through some funny quotes and stories, had a few laughs and felt a bit better. A part of me feels guilty for smiling, let alone laughing, at a time of loss but sometimes you just need to.

So I leave you with a bit of a clip of British humor from the show Coupling. This is one show that I can always laugh with. Thank you to my friend who introduced me to it. Its one of those shows you either love or hate. I happen to love it and this episode was one of my favorites.

Enjoy.

Five days later...

I sit here, still in one piece, still heartbroken. We just returned home from Michigan. We had left on Saturday to be with my dad and the family and managed the five hour drive home today. It was the longest five days of my life.

Everywhere I went, people kept asking me, "How are you?". Those three little words that I almost never want to hear again. I know that people were just trying to reach out because they cared and wanted to do something, but just was not sure what to do. How do you answer that question at a time like this? How can you truly, openly, and honestly answer that? I'd smile softly, and reply, "I'm doing o.k.". However, I'm not o.k. Not in the least. I am drained; physically and emotionally drained. My body hurts from head to toe from sobbing so hard. I have muscles that hurt that I didn't even know I had. My head throbs. I can be fine one minute and fall into tears the next with out warning. Right now I think any and every emotion there could possibly be, I've felt it in the last 5 days. Is that even possible?

It had been overcast, unbelievably windy, and rainy and we were driving back to the church from the burial. For a brief moment, the sun came out. I just started sobbing because the first thought that came to my head was, 'I see you mom'. I felt that even though she was not with me in a physical world sense, she was still casting sunshine on my face, looking over me, telling me that it will all be o.k. I miss her, terribly. I don't know that I will ever be o.k., at least, not about this, but I know that I will keep going. I will remember her and love her and keep her alive in my heart. Forever.

Collin Raye sings a song called Love Me. It has nothing to do with losing a parent, really, but the very last verse is one that rings true to me and I know my mother loved this song, just as I did.

"If you get there before I do, don't give up on me.
I'll meet you when my chores are through;
I don't know how long I'll be.
But I'm not gonna let you down, darling wait and see.
And between now and then, till I see you again,
I'll be loving you. Love, me.
Between now and then, till I see you again,
I'll be loving you. Love, me."

One day I will see her again....

And it all comes tumbling down....

This will probably be the most difficult post I have ever done. So many things have happened over the last few months and just when you think things couldn't get any worse. WHAM!!

Yesterday was the beginning of NaNoWriMo. I had planned to begin last night when I got home from work and complete my daily goal of 1667 words. I realize now, that the plans for my novel have taken a complete turnaround and new meaning.

My world has forever changed as of last night. I get home and was told I needed to call my dad right away. Well, my dad hardly ever calls so right off I was worried. I picked up the phone, dialed the number, to hear him answer in a terrifying voice. A thousand things went through my mind, but not what he was about to tell me.

He asked me if I was sitting down, and I said, "Dad, I'm ok standing. What's wrong?". He says, "NO! Sit down.". I comply. At this point he starts crying and I get really scared. I say, "DAD, what's wrong??". He replies, "Karrie, your mom was in a car accident this morning. A really bad car accident. She didn't make it." The world stopped at that moment. I could not have just heard what he said. There is just no possible way. I couldn't talk. I couldn't breathe. My body started shaking, sobbing. All that I could do was cry.

Right now I am just numb. I don't know how to feel. I sit and stare thinking that there is no possible way she is gone. That I am just stuck in a nightmare that I cannot wake up from. That I will wake up and she will be there for me to hug again. I know, deep down, that I will never be able to hug her again. I will never hear her laugh again. What I will miss most, is watching my kids with her. She lived 5 hours away and we didn't see as much of each other that we would have liked, but when we did, times were special. My kids adored her. She will forever be in our heart and I will love her forever.

I know now that I cannot sit and write fiction for NaNoWriMo. My mother died on November 1st, the start of NaNoWriMo, so my novel will be for her. Will be about her, about us and the family and our friends. So I never forget. How could I possibly write about anything else?

I love you, Mom! I will miss you. You will forever be in my heart, always on my mind.

NaNoWriMo - A.K.A National Novel Writing Month

I am a woman of impulse and I will be the very first to admit that. This can be a great attribute and it can be a terrible one as well. In this case, I am going to classify it as a great one.

I was speaking with a dear friend last night and I was asked if I had ever heard of nanowrimo. I had to laugh at first because I honestly thought it was some sort of food. Partly because we always talk about food and partly because it sounds like a foreign dish. Soft laugh...well I was completely wrong. I questioned what it was and was told "NaNoWriMo". Still having no idea what the heck this was, I Googled it. I Google A LOT in talking with this friend...giggles...but I love that because I learn more that way and retain the information. Anyway, this is what I found when I Googled it ~~~~> National Novel Writing Month. I had to read the 'about' page twice to make sure I was reading correctly. He was actually suggesting that I write a 175-page, 50,000 word novel. Was he off his rocker? No. Not at all actually. I read a bit more on it, bookmarked the home page and basically shrugged it off. Impossible, right?

So I take a day to ponder it. Roll it around in my brain for a bit to see how it sits. I know this would be a HUGE commitment and I go back and forth. "Ok, I'll do it." "No, I don't have time to do it. " "But this would be a great experience and a perfect challenge." "Yeah, but will you really DO it?" "I will make myself do it." "Yeah, you say that now, but you will fall behind, lose interest?" This craziness went on and on all day. You can imagine how much work I got done today.

I came home and worked it out, that in order to do this piece each day, I would have to write approximately 1667 words each day for 30 days straight. That would take me to just over 50,000 words. I took a quick survey on a writing I did last night and the word count was almost 1200. So, I would only need about 400 more and I would have accomplished one day. WOW!! However, looking at it this way, makes it seem a bit more feasible now doesn't it?

I wander back to the home page, click on the words "Sign Up", take a deep breath, fill out all the fields, take another deep breath, and clicked on "submit". YIPES!! I did it. I took the first step.

Am I absolutely crazy? Yup, probably, but you know what? I am going to embrace this challenge and I will complete it. I can't promise that it will be anything worth reading, but it will be my words, my writings, my escape. For now, that is all I can ask of myself.

Now to think of a theme, a topic, an outline. I have a few days to ponder this as I cannot start writing until November 1st. So until then I will be racking my brain.....when I start to write, I may post some excerpts here to see what you think and to keep you posted on my word count. I would also hope to draw some support and enthusiasm from my readers to keep me going!!

Word count for this post = 572 (Oh, I can see how this can become a dorky habit) LOL!!

Terriffic Tuesday...

Oh WOW! That is really all I can muster at this moment in regards to the day I have had today. Ok, nothing super extraordinary happened today, but after the last few weeks I have had, I had a day like today coming to me..

My day actually kind of started last night and ventured into the wee hours of this morning. There is that saying that laughter is the best medicine. Well, whoever coined that phrase was dead on!! I spent hours laughing so hard last night/this morning that my stomach still hurts (well not really, but I laughed really hard). Granted, I know that part of the laughter and good times was directly affected by the company I had, and that just made it so much better. I just hope it was equally amusing...giggles =)

Then...ok this is a good one too...Ready? OK. Every Tuesday I step on the scale (cringe). Every Tuesday I'm oddly disappointed. I say oddly because I don't really expect the numbers to go down, but to at least stay the same, right? Well today I step on that blasted scale and guess what? Just guess, will ya? Giggles...ok..fine, I will tell ya! Ten pound less!! TEN POUNDS!! WTH??? I did nothing different! I moved that scale to 5 different locations and everywhere said the same thing! I checked the calibration several times thinking "who would play such a cruel joke?" So after much messing and almost making myself late for work, I figured it must be right!! WOOT!! Ok, so I have no idea why I lost 10 pounds, but I'm going with it!! I am definitely NOT complaining!

On to work I go after this escapade in my bathroom. Work in itself lately has been a bugger. I have been stressed to the max and ready to pull my hair out. However, today just seemed to flow by. No hiccups. No mass confusion. No headaches. I even saw someone run full on into a door!! I almost fell out of my chair laughing! Highlight of my day, that was!! Poor thing, so embarrassed....giggles.. !! Ok, I'm really sorry I laughed at her, but I know it is something that I would do, which makes it even funnier for me. Yeah, I'm that clumsy! I won't even tell you about my Senior Prom night...I might start crying...hehe!

So, after work, I am driving home, blasting my music with the windows down in the beautiful 70 degree sunny weather we had today! I didn't even have road rage today..hehe! Was smooth sailing home...just one thing missing but I can't talk about that!

I get home and have a ton of energy, so I decide to keep in theme with the whole weight loss thing and decided to get back into some sort of a work out. It's been a while but I'm up for it. I changed my clothes, grabbed my iPod and headed downstairs to push on the treadmill for a while. I turned on my tunes, turned them WAY up, and just lost myself....for over an hour!!! Yeah....wow, that felt GREAT!! What's really funny is when you are on for that long and you stop and try and walk "normal"....you feel like you are floating on the air. Its the strangest feeling! After that it was onto take a shower, which those are ALWAYS good, and then it was time to eat dinner.

All that I can say is REPEAT REPEAT REPEAT!!!!

See, I told you it was nothing extraordinary, but still......it counts!

Oh, I almost forgot. One more thing. I just found out today, that on October 26th, Saw4 comes to the theaters!! Boo Yaaa!!! Yes, I know...its a bit weird, even for me. But I LOVE those movies! I know. I'm scary...hehe! It's only a few weeks away!! WOOT!!!

I think that's it...but hoping the goodness will continue the rest of the night.....

Snow Patrol - Chasing Cars

This video, this song, is one of my most favorite. Can you imagine what it would be like to lie on a beach, at night, with the rain gently falling on your face? Just laying next to someone you care about, forgetting all of the worries of the world.

This song reminds me that sometimes you just have to sit back and forget. Sit back and take time for yourself and let the worries of the world disappear, if only for a short time. It also reminds me that you never have to do things alone. There is always someone there that you can "chase cars" with.

How sweet it is....

The perfect title for a blog post just happens to be the title of my blog. Ironic. This post is dedicated to one of my best friends that I cannot imagine living a day without!! Our entire relationship, I guess you could say, is ironic. Everything about her, about us, is. However, that is exactly what makes it so special. I can only hope, that each and everyone one of you either does, or will have, someone like her in your life because it make life that much better!!

Let me take a few steps back and tell you how we met.

Twitter is where it all started. What is Twitter, you ask? Well look HERE and it might help. I had been on Twitter since April of 2007 and had met many many friends and sometime in July (I think) was when a friend of mine posted to the public to add her as a friend "because she was really cool". Well, who was I to say no to a recommendation from such a good friend? So, click click, she was added and hellos were said. We clicked pretty much from the get go and soon after that I ventured into Second Life (that's a blog post in itself)! My first night there she said hello to me via an IM and I was struggling....with my hair...yes, my hair! I had some how detached it from my head and attached it to my ear (and I know if you have no clue what SL is, you are really confused, but keep reading, it gets better). Well, she came to my rescue along with another twitter friend and helped me get my hair back in the right place. LOL. That night will always make me laugh when I think of it because I asked her the silliest question about a man being a woman. We both laugh at that now because this person is DEFINITELY a man..giggles! I know, you're still confused, but she won't be, and this post is really for her, so as long as she gets it, that is all that matters today.

So after our rendezvous in Second Life we talked more and more on Twitter and started to get all these ideas of jumping into huge vats of Jello, pudding, whip cream (hehe..yeah, I said cream..giggles....), chocolate, and on and on. It became a morning ritual for a while. We'd take our daily dive, giggle and laugh, and come up with new ideas for the next day and go on about our day having a great time! What is funny, is that I cannot put my finger on the day or even close to the day we became such great friends. It was like it just happened, like we had been close forever. That there really was never "a day" that we clicked, but more, that we had always clicked. One day, someone out of the blue made a comment about us being "twins" and from that day on, that is exactly what we are. We are not twins biologically, of course, but we are twins of the heart. I truly believe that somehow, someway, we share the same heart. There is just no other explanation for it. We do the same things, we share the same emotions, we think the same things...only to name a few. It's one of those things that you know you feel it, but it is so hard to try and explain. It just is.

She is amazing to me!

**here is where I need to pause and grab my box of Kleenex**

Without her, I really don't know where I would be today. She has helped me thorough some tough times, pulled me out of a few ruts, made me laugh. She has cried with me as I have cried with her. She has been by my side no matter how crazy I got, and things got really crazy let me tell you, and I am sure its not over. To know someone like her.....is a privilege, but to actually have her in my life as my friend, as my sister, is a true blessing. I am a better person for knowing her. I am a stronger person for knowing her. I am a happier person for knowing her. All of this, and we have never even met in person. I can only imagine what that day will be like when I can give her the biggest, bestest, sisterly hug ever!!!! The day before, we are both going to take out stock on Kleenex and mascara =)

No matter how crazy life gets, no matter how much pain we go through, I know that there will always be one constant in my life. That there will always be this one person by my side no matter how many mile separate us (and there are A LOT of miles between us). That person is my Little Twin, my sister, my friend, my confidante, my heart! It's to this person that I write this post, even though she already knows all of this.

I just want to say thank you! Thank you for being there for me, through thick and thin, thank you for never letting go. Thank you for keeping your faith in me when I didn't have faith in myself. Thank you for telling me how it is sometimes, even if you knew that was not what I wanted to hear. Thank you for being open and honest and sharing your life with me. You are the truest of friends, my sister!! I love you so much!

Smiling...

On a lighter note...this made me smile. I hope it does the same for you!!

Mixed emotions...

Before I truly begin this post there are a few things I must do:

1. Take a deep breath

2. Que music - this will inspire and relax

3. Grabbing a box of Kleenex because I know at some point during this post I will cry.

4. Last but not least: taking a hold of my giant teddy bear. (Will share at a different time)

Emotions have taken over me this week, almost to the point of sheer exhaustion. I wear my emotions on my sleeve and one can always tell how I am feeling and sometimes I really HATE that. There are times I would just rather crawl into a hole, let them work themselves out, shake it off, and move on with out anyone else getting involved, or hurt.

Do you ever feel like some people are better off not ever knowing you? This week has brought those feelings on to me. Deep down, I don't REALLY think that is true, but it makes me wonder sometimes. Do my actions cause others pain and suffering? For some, I suppose, but I would like to think that I bring a bit of sunshine to most of those that I meet. Am I strong enough to continue to reach out to people with the possibility of getting hurt, again? I guess getting hurt is inevitable sometimes because you cannot control the person you reach out to. All that I can do is offer love and friendship and hope that is strong enough for the both of us.

To those that have stuck by my side, thank you!

To those that I have hurt, I am sorry!

A little rambling...

Here goes nothing...keep your expectations low,I'm not here to impress, just release and let go...

I haven't posted in quite some time, and I'm not entirely sure why. The whole blog thing began for me "because everyone else was doing it"! Sad to admit, I know, but that's my truth. The blog thing can be really scary at times, because it can show a part of me that I may or may not be ready to share, or maybe its the fact that by letting others read what I write, lets them see a little bit of me. Granted, one's blog can be can be as impersonal as you want it to be, but anyone who knows me, REALLY knows me, is aware that I am anything but impersonal. Therefore, nor can my blog. So what I write, be it far and few between, comes directly from the heart. I don't' write just to add a post or to "participate" or to appease readers, or to be a sheep (even though that is where it began). I write to release my emotions, to connect, to find myself. Which is actually kind of funny when you look at my blog because, truth be told, my writings rarely end up posted. Most of my writings are chicken scratched on paper, mused over for a bit, and then thrown away. I guess a piece of me feels that if I write it down, absorb it, accept it, and then discard it, it will help me to come to terms. Maybe even help me deal with it better. Does it really work? **shrugs** I don't know. I think so and I guess that is all that really counts. If I can just sit here and write with out thinking about WHAT I am writing (like right now), it's a way to release, escape. I usually feel better after writing what reels through my mind. Keyword being "usually". Sometimes I feel worse than when I began because of pure realization of my emotions and/or actions.

As I write this I go back and forth as to whether or not I will actually post this , but, I guess if you are reading this now, you know what my decision was and I decided to let you in, just a little bit. Letting people in is HUGE for me. Not just anyone gets that birds eye view, only those near and dear will get to see the REAL me...but here is where you will find bits and pieces of me...good...bad...ugly...all of the above! Part of the reason blogging scares me is because it opens me up to judgment and ridicule . Which in all honesty, terrifies me. My heart cares too much of what others think of me to subject my self to that. However, I also know that this can make me stronger. What is that saying? The things that don't kill you, only make you stronger? Hmmmm...well blogging will not kill me, so I press on =)

"Tenderness and Kindness are not signs of weakness and despair, but manifestations of strength and resolution. ~~Kahlil Gibran

What finger are you...?

I am a Ring Finger

You are romantic, expressive, and hopeful. You see the best in everything. You are very artistic, and you see the world as your canvas. You are also drawn to the written word. Inventive and unique, you are often away in your own inner world.

You get along well with: The Pinky

Stay away from: The Index Finger

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wow..strangely enough, this does describe me to a T..odd....???

Want to see if we are compatible? Click HERE to take your quiz.

Tag: I'm It

Wow, it has been a while since I posted huh? Shame on me...no lashings, please =) I beat myself up enough on my own.. he he!!

Todays post was inspired by me being tagged. Let me tell you, there are some amazing bloggers out there and I just happened to be tagged by two of them: Andy Bilodeau and Jeff "Zemote" O'Hara.

What does it mean to be tagged you ask? Well, you have bloggers that come up with ideas on a blog topic, write up theirs and then "tag" others for them to blog about the very same topic. In this case, the topic is 8 Random Things about Me. So, I write a blog post including 8 things that people probably do not know about me and then I choose different bloggers and they do the same thing (hopefully)! Its a great way to have fun and learn about your fellow bloggers and of course it gives you a reason to post!!!

Apparently this one is called a Meme...and honestly I have no idea why or what the meaning is behind it, so I have my own interpretation..."me me"..yes..its all about ME =) There..simple..easy..and without further a due..here are 8 things you probably do not know about me...

1.) Beginning in kindergarten, I went to a new school every year up until the fourth grade! At that point I stayed in the same school until the seventh grade, moved once more and stayed put. I made my parents sign a contract not to move again until I was out of school!! Note to parents: Moving kids like that is rough on them...!

2.) I was recently inducted to a new adventure called Second Life and upon first glance I thought, "no way was this going to be me". However, all the talk and gossip had me interested so I tried it once more. Now, I pray my husband won't divorce me because I spend too much time there...LOL!

3.) This one is a shocker, but still true. When I was in second grade I had these babysitters that lived just across the road from me who got me to smoke. YIPES! I was a smokin' second grader for about a month and then just quit. I have never touched a cigarette since. My parents never knew until I told them when I was 21. They still don't believe me.

4.) I have 4 tattoos. The first one I got is a butterfly on the small of my back. There is no real meaning for it other than it was my first and I chose a butterfly because they are beautiful. My second is on the top of my right foot: a tree frog with a Kanji symbol of friendship. My best friend and I went together. My third is my largest and has the most meaning. This is on my left arm from my shoulder to almost my elbow. I had this done to represent myself and my daughter. The fairy is my daughter with her arms open ready to fly. She is getting so big and this reminds me that I have to let her fly on her own sometimes, even at 9. My fourth one is one that I went along with my brother to get. My brother and I went through some really trying things growing up and we wanted something to represent our trials and our success. The Kanji symbol is for strength, and we both have that on the inside of our right wrist. I chose cherry blossoms and he chose a blue flame. This one is VERY important to me.

5.) I met my husband when I was 19 working in retail. He was a store manager and I was a head cashier. Relationships with management was basically forbidden. He walked me out to my car one dark winter night and helped me scrape the snow off my car and we instantly clicked. We started secretly dating (lets see...this was November 1995) and by January of 1996 I had moved in with him. The company found out and he was moved to a different store (without demotion, thankfully). In March of 1996 he proposed and of course I said yes and we were married in June 1997 and happily married ever since.

6.) I cry while watching almost EVERY movie! Yeah, I am really, THAT much of a sap!!!

7.) The thing that I want to do most right now...I want to go to Australia and dive in the reefs and enjoy all of its breath taking beauty and wonder.

8.) I am terrified of spiders. Any and all. Big or small. Fat or skinny. I am a Harry Potter freak but I cannot watch the spiders in the woods part...I will have nightmares for weeks!

Wow..that only took me forever to do, huh? YIPES! So now for the good part..I get to tag eight more people to join in the fun and I hope that I don't tag anyone that has been before. If I do, I apologize, just know that I truly love your blog and that is why I tagged you!! =)

I hereby tag the following amazing bloggers:

1. Foul Bastard - because you are just too damned sweet to me =)

2. Techipedia - because I learn something new every time I read your blog.

3. So Damn Charming - becuase you are just so damned charming!!
4. Adventures in Earth and Space - Wow!! Amazing stuff here!!

5. Genuine - Your posts always make me laugh..especially the Hakuna Matata one!!
6. It's Just a Wiggly Way of Looking at It - because you are the sweetest person I know and i am truly lucky to have met you!

7. Castle Shima - because you always make me smile!

Well, that is me in a nutshell..kind of =) Lots more to me than that, but, at this time, this is what I am willing to openly share.

Until we meet again.....keep smiling =)

Link Leak Virus

Today I have been hit with a virus. However, this virus is a good one and really made me smile at the thought that I was bit by it!! A very special lady bit me HERE and I was very touched!!

So, to do my part in spreading the "bug" I would very much like to share three of my most favorite blogs and make sure you check out the one I listed earlier too!!

http://wanderingcyberspace.typepad.com/
A blog from a very dear Twitter buddy! She can make you laugh and she can make you cry! She is someone anyone and everyone can relate to! Check it out!!!

http://blog.zemote.com/
I check this blog everyday because of two, no...three reasons!
1. The blogger is amazing!!
2. The photographs are insightful, meaningful, and inspiring.
3. I get to learn some techie stuff too!!!

http://blondebydesign.typepad.com/my_weblog/
This blogger is one amazing woman. She is the one who inspired me to start my mission with Kandahar and helping our soldiers feel great and appreciated! This woman is truly an inspiration and if you have never talked with her, you are truly missing out!!

So to those I have just been "bitten" by me...do your fellow bloggers a favor and give some of them a great big shout out on your blog so they know they are appreciated!!

I love all my fellow bloggers and no one should feel left out by any means...these three are just the tip of the iceberg!!!

Hugs to all my readers!!!

Why Do I Knit?

This is a question that seems to be asked of me quite often. If you are a fellow knitter, I am sure that you also get asked that same question and if you don't knit, then maybe I can help you to understand why I knit and why others may feel the same way.

First and foremost, I am a crafter at heart and any craft that is thrown my way, I am willing to at least give a go at it and if I don't like it, I move on. If I do like it, watch out, because I will buy stock in materials!

However there are many reasons I love to knit. One being that I can take it anywhere with me. My children are in numerous activities and while watching and/or waiting I can knit my heart out. We often drive to Michigan to visit family and we fly to Arizona and I can take it with me then as well. Knitting is such a portable craft!

Another reason I love to knit is that it is like my yoga. If I have had a bad day, I can pick up my knitting and focus completely on that and only that, and the stress dissapates. Knitting relaxes me and makes me happy. Granted, there are those tricky patterns that can make you want to pull your hair out, but for the most part, it is very relaxing and comforting.

The utmost reason I love to knit is becuause I like to knit for others. Any project that I start for someone else I ALWAYS finish. Making gifts for others is so much more gratifying than anything I could ever make for myself. Knitting blaknets, hats, mittens, and scarves for children who need them, or donating to shelters or just giving something away to a friend because they are special! It is something that really warms my heart and I am happy to do it!

I had started making felted hedgehogs and one friend was very excited about them so I offered to make one for her! I was delighted when she accepted and asked her to choose colors for me and she chose lavendar and sage to go with her daughters bedroom since the hedgie was going to be for her. I have now completed the hedgehog for her and it is all wrapped up and packaged to go out in tomorrows mail. I hope she enjoys it as much as I enjoyed making it!!

Enjoy your hedgie, Gretel!!! {{Hugs}}

Twitter

I was sitting here tonight pondering what I could blog about while I was twittering with some of my friends and I thought, why not. Blog about Twitter.com.

Twitter. Twitter. Twitter. What can one say about Twitter?

When I first signed up to Twitter (back in April 2007) I honestly had no intention of keeping up with it. I saw it as a waste of time and just plain utter non-sense. Why on earth would I want to keep track of my day let alone tell anyone else what I was doing. Secondly, who on earth would want to know what I do all day? Curiosity got the best of me, as it usually does, and I took the plunge. I was going through a really tough time at that moment so I used it, at first, as an outlet of what I was feeling at that moment. I came up with the handle AngelEyes and gave no clues as to who I "really" was, so it was no harm no foul. I could be anybody I wanted to be and no one would be the wiser, OR I could be completely open and honest with out the pain of being judged.

What happened with in the next month was completely and utterly unexpected. I started adding a few people that peaked my interest and low and behold, others started adding me. Of course, you get the ones who only want to rack up the numbers so they look important, but I also had requests from genuine people. As I started chatting with my "friends", I learned more and more about them and I even began to open up a bit. I found it absolutely amazing that people that I did not know from a stranger on the street, reached out to me, held my hand (so to speak), befriended me in times of need. How could this possibly be? It was at that moment, I knew that this was not just another social gathering place.

Having been on Twitter now for three months (and now using my real name of KarrieLyne), I have made some amazing friends, including one whom I consider my best friend. I have met people that are true and real and are willing to be there for you in good times and bad times. I have friends that are just plain silly, there is no other way to describe these friends. They make me laugh and sometimes cry (from laughing so hard). I have, what we call, "geeks" as friends and man o man are they handy to have around!! They have taught me many a good tricks that I never would have imagined I would have learned. I have my fellow knitter friends who got me motivated to pick up my needles again and are always there for me to ask 20 questions. Some of my friends fall into more than one of these situations and some fall into every one! Who knew? Something as simple as Twitter, that I could gain all this and more?

I have tried and tried to explain Twitter to many a folk and all I receive in return is that blank stare with glazed over eyes. I can be sitting on the couch "twittering" and will just bust out laughing and my husband will ask me what is so funny. I go over the dialog with him and laugh all over again and he just looks at me like I am crazy. I think the only way that you can get the full understanding of Twitter, is to try it. Give it a go. If you don't like it, you can delete your account and if you love it, you can meet some extraordinary people, like I have. So, what are you waiting for? Click HERE to get started on Twitter.

To sum it all up....

My Twitter friends ROCK!! A huge THANK YOU goes out to each and every one of my Twitter buddies and a huge hug as well!! Where would I be with out all of you?

Kandahar

About a week or so ago a very special friend of mine asked me if I would mind asking my children to draw pictures for soldiers over in Kandahar. Well of course I said yes as I saw it as a wonderful opportunity to share with my children what soldiers do for us and our country as well as do something really special for those soldiers. I though about it for a few days and in doing so I read a post on her blog that really touched me and made me want to help out in more ways than just sending pictures. So last weekend while we were at the grocery store, we started picking out things that we thought the men of Kandahar would enjoy. Knowing there are 19 men in this troop we wanted to choose things that they could share. My kids picked out the following (with a bit of help):

* notebook paper, pens, and envelopes to write letters home

* kleenex, Q-tips, washcloths, and antibacterial liquid

* crackers, sunflower seeds, pretzels, and raisens

* assorted candy

* two decks of playing cards and Phase 10 card game

All of this is neatly packed up in a box and is ready to ship out this week to Danny's troop. I know that they will enjoy getting the things that we picked out and they would love to hear from any of you that would like to participate. If you do, please contact me and I will guide you to the right person that knows everything about it!!!

This is such a wonderful opportunity to teach our children the greatness of giving!!!

Hello World

Welcome to my new blog. This blog has been created with the purest intention to keep my creativity flowing, to inspire others, to meet new friends, to learn a bit about you as well as myself. I have no intention of hunting down readers, but with hopes that readers will find me and want to learn about me and what is going on in my life. The world is a huge realm and there is no way possible for me to meet all the wonderful people out there, so through my musings, I hope to reach out and get to know a few more people. So please, sit back, relax, and enjoy!!!