Road Trip

We spent Thanksgiving in Oregon this year. For the most part, it was a really fun trip. One of my favorite things about SS, is his ability to make sweet juicy lemonade out of rotten lemons.

We drove a total of 2,092 miles in this fabulous 2016 Buick Verano. Most comfortable car I’ve ever driven. I would definitely recommend this car to anyone looking to purchase something new.

Thankfully the rental car had XM radio because leaving at 4am is tougher than it seems. Between Madonna, Right Said Fred, and Roxette, I made it to sunrise without falling asleep.

Thanksgiving dinner at my Aunt’s new house…

 

A trip to Multnomah Falls -

 

 

And what driving trip to Oregon would be complete without a photo of Mt. Shasta?

I hope your Thanksgiving holiday was amazing and filled with a lot of great memories.

 

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween!

 

So hard to believe it’s already Halloween. Wasn’t it just the beginning of race season?

Since SS and I are not dressing up this year, there won’t be pounds of candy in our house. Which in turns means we won’t have to do ridiculous amounts of exercises to be rid of the candy bulge. Score!

 

Be safe out there. Don’t let crazy creepy clowns get you.

Celebrate

When I was growing up, the 4th of July was a huge deal around my house. Stepdad was a HUUUUUGGGGEEEEE ‘Merica celebratin’ type of redneck. All year round, you would be able to find items around our house that just screamed America. Flag-Stuff-Everywhere. It was as if we celebrated the 4th of July all year. Except for the fireworks. He saved those specifically for celebrating Independence Day. At least until RJ was born. Then we had fireworks every year on RJ’s birthday. It was as if Independence Day came twice in July. Fireworks, flags, and anything red/white/blue. It was Stepdad.

Thankfully, SS’s family is just as much into fireworks as he was. And almost as much into celebrating the 4th. Almost.

While we all donned our red/white/blue outfits and swimwear, we laughed and joked and ultimately had a wonderful time, as many different people came together. It was beautiful.

I’m grateful I’ve been accepted into such an amazing family, and I hope everyone else’s 4th was just as awesome!

Happy Independence Day

Headed out a bbq and swim party. Hope everyone has a safe and fun 4th of July.

 

 

Goodbye 2014. Hello 2015.

Another year has come and gone. Time to celebrate, right?
But celebrate what? Are we celebrating because we’re happy we made it through the year without being thrown in jail, or run over by a truck, or that we didn’t make it on Uncle Sam’s bad list? Or are we celebrating because we’re starting over and, we know American’s have to drink and celebrate anything new they’re starting (i.e. new job, new house, new baby, etc.)? Maybe it’s just another excuse to get drunk. I don’t know.

2014 wasn’t my favorite year. It was a year that brought me many tears, many headaches, and many, many bad dreams. It was a stressful year. One that I’m happy is over, I can’t lie.

Please don’t misunderstand me though. 2014 wasn’t all bad. I had some great moments. Celebrated some great things. Learned some important lessons. Traveled to some really neat and fun places. And my favorite thing, stole the heart of a 10-year-old cutie.

Although life won’t be allowing me to have any more children, I feel a sense of satisfaction when said 10-year-old wants to be just like me. It makes all the hard work I’ve done to improve myself, worth every struggle I faced.

2015 will be a challenge. A challenge I don’t honestly know I’m ready to face. I have some great support in my corner, so feel I can’t fail. I hope I don’t let everyone down.

Here’s to a fabulous 2015!

Happy Birthday, ‘Merica!

Happy Saturday, Y’all!
I hope everyone had a fabulous and safe 4th of July. And I hope people heeded the warnings put out by others, about their pets.

This panoramic view of our valley from the house, allowed us to see firework shows from three different venues. Along with any done privately by homeowners.

We did a few at the house. The kids had a blast.

We ate TONS of food. And there was a LOT of desserts. People are so creative when it comes to desserts. A talent I lack.

 

I still have four more days off work, so I’m in complete relax mode. Yay for vacations! I’m off to find some sort of trouble.

Welcome 2014!

Happy 2014 Readers!
I have positive feelings that 2014 is going to be amazing. It will bring new changes, new challenges, and new beginnings. I’m so excited!

1. What did you do in 2013 that you'd never done before? I drove a go kart.
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I don't generally make New Year's resolutions, and 2013 was no exception. However, for 2014, I do have a few goals I’m working towards.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?  Nope.
4. Did anyone close to you die? Nope.
5. What countries did you visit? Countries? Ha. I watched a documentary on Paris back in early April. It kind of felt like I was there. Does that count?
6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013? Motivation. I was lazy. I did the bare minimum to get by. No more of that.
7. What dates from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory? Oh-boy, hmmm....  Well, I guess the day Jeffy and I walked away from each other. And then I suppose the day that SS and I got together. Two life changing days.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?  Moving forward. The middle part of 2013 was tough for me. Much more went on behind the scenes with my personal life than I let on here, so moving forward is definitely my biggest achievement.
9. What was your biggest failure?  Allowing another person to dictate how I conducted every day business. I allowed it, and shouldn’t have. Fail.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? I had the flu and a cold a few times, but nothing too serious.
11. What was the best thing you bought?  Tickets to the Fontana NASCAR race for Squid and I.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?  RJ’s. Every day is an improvement.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Sometimes, Boss#2. She just doesn’t get it.
14. Where did most of your money go?  Child support. Rent.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?   Hmm…probably several things I can’t remember. Damn it.
16. What song will always remind you of 2013? “Cruise”, by Florida Georgia Line.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? happier
ii. thinner or fatter? fatter
iii. richer or poorer? the same
18. What do you wish you'd done more of? Sight seeing
19. What do you wish you'd done less of? Laying around watching tv.
20. How did you spend Christmas? With a family I’m so happy has accepted me.

21. Who did you meet for the first time?  This amazing family.
22. Did you fall in love in 2013?  Yes.
23. How many one-night stands?  I’m not sure I need to look back on those and count them. There were some, I’m not going to lie. But there are none now.
24. What was your favorite TV program? NCIS or Big Bang Theory.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?  Nope.  Hate's a strong word.   I've only ever hated a couple people during a very dark period in my life.  Which fortunately is far enough in the past now that it's barely a blip on my consciousness.
26. What was the best book you read?  I don’t read books, but I did read each issue of NASCAR Illustrated in 2013.  *wink
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?  Brandy Clark

What. A. Weekend.

 

I had the flu. It officially knocked me on my ass Saturday afternoon, but it started Friday night. Figures. A weekend without roommates, and I’m sick. Drat!

Sis and Squid came up Friday night to enjoy the quietness of 5.5 acres. We were set to enjoy three long days of doing NOTHING. Well, except for taking care of nine dogs, eight birds, and two cats.

Saturday morning was a tough one. Didn’t eat much breakfast because the “flu” feeling was getting stronger. I toughed it out as we walked down every isle at the supermarket, but by the time we were headed home, I was feeling pretty miserable. By 1pm, I was out….

Saturday pretty much sucked for me. As I tried to sleep, I’d get awaken by dripping sweat, or chills, or the cold nose of a dog wanting to cuddle. It just wasn’t great. I felt bad for Sis and Squid, but they were good sports. They not only helped take care of ME, but they helped take care of ALL THE ANIMALS!!

Y’all are awesome. Thank you!

 

Sunday morning I was beginning to feel a little better, but still took the cautious road early in the day. Until I knew I could do something other than throw up, I knew I’d better stick to soup. So a soup morning it was.

By lunchtime, I was feeling almost normal. And because I was feeling almost normal, Squid talked me into doing my oil change. Only problem….I was still dressed in the WHITE clothes I had been wearing. But, it got done. I learned from the best on how to do some things, and I know for certain, he would be damn proud of me.

With the new engine rebuild a few months back, I failed to ask what type of oil I should now be putting in my car. It’s different, I remember them talking about it, only I never asked. So, I stood in the middle of the store staring at the isle of oil, wondering what the hell to do. Sis suggested I call Jeff, but when my eyes immediately filled with tears, I knew that wasn’t an option. Didn’t even need to give it a second thought. :-/

AND THEN…….

Welcome to The Chase, Kyle!

Kyle Busch won the race at Atlanta, and secured himself a spot in the chase. I’m thrilled. Couldn’t be more happy. And I’m looking forward to him beating Jimmie Johnson to the line.

Happy Mothers Day

Happy Mothers Day to all the amazing women out there.

Happy 2013

Hi Readers! Happy 2013!

Can you believe it’s already 2013?? Doesn’t it seem like just a few weeks ago that we rang in 2012? Or how about that big Y2K frenzy that happened THIRTEEN years ago? Holy crap! Where does the time go?

I remember talking about how great 2012 was going to be. I remember being anxious for good things to happen. Thank goodness I wasn’t disappointed. For me, 2012 was great.

As anxious as I was for 2012, I am finding myself looking forward to 2013 with just as much excitement. In fact, I think it’s been a long time since I “looked forward to” the future in a positive way, and I attribute that to the wonderful things brought in and out of my life every day.

Cheers, to an amazing 2013.

 

HMD

Along with the rest of America, I’d like to wish all the Mommies out there a fabulous Mother’s Day!

Hoppy Easter!

Hi y’all. I hope everyone had a fabulous Easter Sunday, if you celebrate Easter. If not, I hope your Sunday was fabulous anyway. :-)

I spent a part of the morning making cupcakes. I don’t know why. I don’t have a house full of people that will eat them. I don’t have a party to attend where I can bring them as dessert. I just woke up this morning and said I have this in my cabinet. No better time than Easter, I guess.

 

I hate to cook. It’s not because I’m bad at it. I’m not bad at it. I used to cook ALL THE TIME when I was married and had three kids to feed. I became good at it. I perfected the dishes my family liked.

The only thing I hate more than cooking, is baking. I never baked when I was married. The X enjoyed doing it because it reminded him of when he used to help his mom do it. The X’s daughters LOVED to cook/bake/ be in the kitchen. (I wonder if they are still that way today.) When we would have parties or people over, they’d be the ones to make the desserts. Thank goodness, cause I didn’t want to.

I don’t know how many cupcakes are supposed to come out of a box like that, but I got 19.

RM#2 spent the day out at the track with his dirt bike. I love walking into my garage and seeing this staring at me. Turns me on in a way I just can’t describe. I.heart.racing. ;-)

When he came home from the track, he gave me this from someone he was with…

I’m not big on any of these drivers, but I will tell you I got a LOT of satisfaction out of breaking open the eggs and watching the Jellybeans fall out. #happiness

 

P.S. RM#2 has had TWO cupcakes since he’s been home, and I’m being told they are A-W-E-S-O-M-E. Yay! #success

Happy Valentine’s Day

My routine every morning, is to check email and such before I jump ever so joyfully crawl out of bed. As soon as my eyes open, I grab my iThingy. Today is V-Day. By the way…

Happy Valentine’s Day to all my readers.

Anyway, as I was saying, today is V-Day, and with that, comes Facebook post after Facebook post (I have 83 friends) of flower photos, and candy photos, new laptop or kindle photos, new phones, new cars, new earrings, and new love photos. And for the first time, I'm genuinely happy for these people. I wasn't bitter. Or jealous. Or annoyed. I was actually happy to see the smiles on the faces of those who shared.

It's a strange feeling when you all of a sudden realize you've stopped hating the world. I wonder how long ago this happened? What made this moment the moment I would realize it? Maybe it's another step towards maturity. Maybe it's me, finally coming to terms with myself and the loneliness I've created. Maybe it’s something completely different.

Either way, it don't matter. It's nice to finally see the happiness. I love being enlightened.

Merry Christmas

…from our house to yours.

Thanksgiving

I’m thankful for…

· The dogs and cats that keep me company.

· The roof over my head so graciously provided by RM#1.

· All the food Sis made me to eat while they’re gone.

· The television that keeps my mind off being lonely.

· The computer that allows me to stalk my Facebook friends.

· The cell phone that allows me to keep in touch with work while I’m away.

· The car that gave me a lot of good years.

· The old camera that allows me to entertain the blog world with funny or amazing pictures.

· My job.

· The new relationship with my son.

I’m not great at saying thank you. In fact, I downright suck at it. When I have to say it to someone, I often feel that the way I say it, comes across as unthankful. Like I’m being fake. But I’m really not. Then I feel like I need to overcompensate by being extra nice to that person. And then THAT comes across as being fake.

Happy Thanksgiving, Readers!

Halloween already?

Halloween is next month. This is my least favorite day of the entire year. I’ve written about it in past years here, and here. I think it’s just plain stupid.

But….right now, I have a sudden urge to decorate my house for Halloween. I want to hang orange lights outside. I want to put tombstones in my front yard and write funny things on them about people only me and my family/friends will understand. I want to carve pumpkins. I want to line my walkway with cool little lights. I want to put a scary headless skeleton man on the bench by my front door. I want to go to the pumpkin patch and pick out pumpkins. I want to spread fake webbing all over the front of my doorway.

I want to decorate my mantle with lots of Halloweeny things.

I want to paint a few pumpkins like this.

I want to hang skeletons from my roof.

And I want to paint my nails in crazy Halloween designs.

 

I don’t know what has caused this sudden interest in Halloween, but I’m sure it’ll pass long before the actual day arrives. And if it doesn’t, RM#1 is going to be sorry she allowed me to decorate. :-)

Happy 4th!

 

(Mmm. Cupcake Kabobs)