This is Me October Edition

Hey All!

Ms. Amie over at While Wearing Heels is having her monthly get in the pix link up. This month was a little different as it was about our cloths, and how they say a lot about who WE are. I kept forgetting to take my picture, I was going to take it in Cor's football team shirt. But I'm really glad I kept forgetting, my shirts for the PTO board came in and it sums up me more truly.

 

 

I know its backwards but I had no one here but me. It reads, "I volunteer, what's your superpower?" with our school district mascot's paw print (we're the Wildcats). Our elementary's theme this year is super hero kids hence the super power.

 

I absolutely LOVE being a momma and everything that goes with being a momma. Volunteering, parties, room mom, church helper, watching practices, etc, along with all that comes a lot of volunteering and I truly truly do love it. I love that I am known as Cordell's momma. Plus it was blingy, bahahaha.

 

But in all seriousness, I feel a need and duty to volunteer, if we all help a bit it makes a huge difference, plus many hands make like work. Think about volunteering - anywhere, any amount of time, for any cause.

 

Much Luv,

Michelle



This Is Me September Edition

The fabulous Amy over at While Wearing Heels is posting her September Edition of This Is Me, and the theme (optional) is "what is going on in your life."

I'm notorious for WANTING to do This Is Me but not FOLLOWING through, so being the I'm gonna quite planning and start doing new self, decided to look through my cell phone and load 'em up!

We have been knee deep with friends spending the weekend. We had two weekends back to back that we were blessed with friends spending the weekend with us.

Much Luv!
Michelle

Operation Birthday 8.0 in pictures

Hey All!

Just a quick little pop in and TONS of pictures of Buckaroos birthday party!

I'll be back latter in the week (or next week) to talk about each area and different things that we did in detail.

Without further adue:

I'll be back with details latter, I hope that everyone has a wonderful, love filled, miracle witnessing day!

Much Luv,
Michelle

Operation Birthday 8.0 or {my frogboy baby is not a baby anymore}

Hey Hey Hey!!

Sorry this post is a wee bit hate, but y'all know me and how this caddy girl rolls...

Anywho Operation Birthday 8.0 has commenced (for about two weeks now - I don't the year I've been thinking about it in my head). This year Buckaroo choose Nascar, surprisingly it wasn't Duck Dynasty, more because I think I told him "No more changing your mind, pick a theme and stick to it. Momma needs prep time son" and all the DD theme stuff wasn't out when he choose. Next year I KNOW what will be the them, haha!

Of course it will be City Mouse and City Mouse's wives house, more affectionately known around here as Papa & Gma. I call them city mouse because of the children's book City Mouse and Country Mouse, although they live in the country. We will once again have a swim party, yay for grandparents with swimming pools. He's loves cars, especially race cars which led to his theme choice Nascar.

I've bought the goody bag stuff, which really has NOTHING to do with Nascar, but he liked the stuff so yep, it's what we bought. This year momma bear is getting all fancied up, and the main playing theme throughout will be the checkered flag, the green finish flag and the number 8. The goody bag "pit stop" will have 8 parts. All parts will have a checkered flag numbered 1-8 with 8 being the green finish flag showing them what to do. Station one will be getting the bag, there will be six goody bag fillers stops, and the eighth station will be for them to sticker their bag shut and write their name on the bag.

The food layout will be the same as above except it will be known as "filling station." Station one will be plates, buns will be station 2, condiments are station 3, hotdogs will be station 4, chili is station 5, toppings are station 6, chips are station 7 and drinks are station 8.

The cake will be made by yours truly, I have always baked every birthday cake Buckaroo has every wanted for his birthday. This year he wasn't the Nascar race track, a lot of work but absolutely worth every moment. On  the cake table I want seven different sweets but I can only think of 3, to include the cake. I'm going to have chocolate donuts labeled "Black walls" and powdered donuts labeled "white walls". I thought about something round, maybe gumballs or something, and labeling them "ball bearings".I need a nifty name for the cake and some other sweet stuff. I need a nifty name for the sweet table too!

I've thought about getting some tire floats BUT I worry about that since there will be a large number of kids in the pool. I worry that it will be more trouble and stuff for them to horseplay with. So I will more than likely NOT go with them.

I've also thought about having eight different 'locations' for the event, but I cant think of any. I was thinking gift table #1, goody bag table #2, cake #3, food#4, eating area #5, swimming pool #6, playground #7. I've gone completely BLANK for an eighth!!  If you have ideas PLEASE share them!

Did I mention the party is THIS Saturday, and it's his actual birthday!!

Please send me your ideas!!

Much Luv,
Michelle

Status Report for the !st day of 2nd grade

Alrighty Friends!

So our 1st day back was great! He really likes his teacher, and he was really excited that they played games "that helped us know each other!"

His most excited moment was when he told me that since they are older they get to sit with anyone they want to on Fridays at lunch. He was so happy as his best buddy is in a different class than him, as well as his cub scout mates and friends that we still have 'friend time" (aka play dates BUT he informed me about a year ago that he was too old for playdates) with outside of school since they haven't been in class togather in two years!! We (the other momma and grandma and I) would call them the three musketeers, where one was they all were!

He was a grumpy guss by the end of the day and thus allowed no photos. I can't really blame him, he's up at 7, at school by 8, learning at 8:30, end of school at 4, pick up at 4:15, home at 4:30, ready for football practice at 5, leave for practice at 5:30, actual practice from 6-8, home at 8:20ish, dinner at 8:30 (he refuses to eat before practice and I don't blame him), bath at 9, bed at 9:30. We're trying to fine tune and shave time off somewhere so we can have bed at 9, he's used to being in bed at 8:30. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated, competitive sports are grueling!!

But all in all he had a really great first day! I hope everyone else did too!!

I was able to sneak this one in as he didn't know I was taking it, lol!

 He's the green and yellow guy!

 

Much Luv,

Michelle

1st day of 2nd grade or {When and How Did This Happen?}

Morning Friends!

Hope today is a great one for you! It's our first day back to school here, how about y'all?

This morning I woke up wondering how the heck did my sweet baby frogboy become a 2nd grader?! I mean seriously I know it's cliché, but seriously it is going to fast, in 6 days he'll be 8. I suppose I should just be grateful that we decided to hold him back a year because his birthday is so late or I would be here saying the same thing except it would be 3rd grade!!

He was nervous, just like momma and daddy, new things are hard for him. Yes it's the same school, he has some of the same kids, but his best buddy isn't in his class this year and we've been out for two months.

So we took crazy pictures, good pictures and "so us" pictures. We talked about how I knew it was hard, nervous and scary but it WILL get better, soon it will all be gravy.

So here's some pictures from the first day of second grade.

 Cor and momma 2nd grade

 He's all "check it out i'm 2nd grade homies" while I'm all "What the heck?! you're my baby!"

 Me still freaking out, him thinking 'yep my momma's gone off her rocker...again'

 In front of his classroom, he was so sweet letting me walk him to class still!

Buckaroo and his teacher Mrs.Barron, she seems like a sweetheart.

 our "official" 1st day of 2nd grade picture

 but this is really how we roll

 or this....

ok well really like this because he was done with the 1st pix, this was his "i'm done momma."

 

Sweet boy, I just want you to know that Daddy and Momma are so very happy, proud and grateful that we were given you by God to be our sweet baby and to raise. Everything you do brings us joy, while I am sad that the years seem to go to fast I am grateful that they do as that is what you are made for and you give meaning to my life. Thank you for being you and allowing me to be your momma.

 

Much Luv,

Michelle aka Buckaroo's momma

It's ok too.....

Hey Friends!

So to continue on with "What I Learned"  I want to talk about something that has been weighing on my heart a lot since my last post.

I also learned it's ok to be 'weak' and to show it. I think part of being strong is knowing how to acknowledge that weakness. I don't ever want anyone to read that post and be discouraged that they have 'weak' moments, or even weeks, and think they are "wrong".

Friends, I have weak moments, a lot of them. One thing I learned for MYSELF is that I can't let it overwhelm and consume me. Sometimes the littlest of things will get me, some days is the 15 passenger van that I see on the road and it triggers a flood of tears. We talked about getting one of those as we had full intentions of adopting at minimum five kiddos, even more if they ended up with siblings down the road. Sometimes it's just the complete silence of the house when Buckaroo and Papa Bear isn't at home. And others is just the thought of them.

My point is that it is absolutely 100% OKAY to be 'weak' and have those moments.

If you notice every time I use the word weak its got those marks, because in all honesty, I don't think it is being weak. I think it takes a strong person to acknowledge those feelings, work through them, ask for help and to show those feelings.

This is coming from a person that did NOT cry in front of people when I was hurt or hurting. I would sometimes cry when I would be angry, but never when I was hurting, either physically or emotionally. I have no idea why, I just didn't want people to know my 'weak points' and use them against me.

I've learned in admitting my "weakness" I *am* stronger.

Much Luv,
Michelle

GoodWill Treasures

So to try and get back to normal, I'm showing what I purchased at Goodwill or known around here as GW.

We've been wanting to do some stuff around the house and well that takes moolah. Every time I go to a store, thrift or regular (ugh!), I think 'oh, this could get me 1/4 piece of plywood'. Most of the time this leads to me putting a ton of things back, LOL!

This is seriously all that I purchased for 1.5 months!!

 

 

Now, I know my kid needs another book like I need more jewels, but I also think of books like I think of jewels - One can NEVER NEVER N-E-V-A have enough!

 

Buckaroo loves Santa Paws series so I snatch them up whenever I see them.

 

The Berenstein Bears is another favorite and it was the Bear Scout series and since Buckaroo is a cub scout it's a two-fer.

 

The NatGeo book is about traveling in Australia, he has a wide palate for books.

 

The last and greatest is Flyguy - if you have a younger kid you know how much they love Flyguy.

 

All of the books were just $.99, which is higher than normal (usually paperbacks are $.49-$.79) but still much better full price. The Flyguy book was also $.99, but it was hardback, hence I think someone just didn't wanna change out their pricing gun.

 

The little nightlight is a Christmas themed gingerbread house, it was $.99 and worked. I've looked at similar ones before and they run $10-$25, depending on the maker and how intricate. Well this momma don't pay that for a regular light fixture much less a NIGHTLIGHT! I was really happy when I found this and I could actually check it since it had a working bulb.

 

Now I have to really control myself, but I REALLY want shelves in my lower kitchen cabinets. I'm tired of having a cavernous hole where things must be stacked precisely to all fit.

 

You have to check out my sweet blogger turned real life great friend Amy at While Wearing Heels and see her *AH MAY ZING* trench coat she got for $2.50!! I swear I told her that she is lucky I don't live close to her cuz she would be missing some clothes and coats!

 

Much Luv,

Michelle

i *AM* strong

So yesterday I wrote that the main silver lining I learned through our whole experience was that

 

i *AM* strong

 

 

 

I learned I am stronger than my fears.

 

I had so many fears placed in front of me and not only did I over come them I rocked them to next Sunday!

 

I drove the scary medical center and interchanges BY MYSELF (Amy can you believe it?!), which I get hives just riding usually.

 

I took care of a medically fragile child, I used to be 'that mom' the doctor's office talks about.

 

I realized that I can make the hardest decision of my life, and still be OK (this was an us decision but you get what I mean).

 

I let go of dreams that I'd had since I was a little girl, and reshaped them and realized I will survive.

 

I realized that it's ok if my child doesn't like me, I'm his parent first. I worried so much that his disappoint and dislike of me was going to scar him. I realized and embraced the fact that his dislike for me will be momentary, but his lesson learned will be a lifetime.

 

I found out the old saying 'what doesn't kill you, only makes you stronger' is 100% true and accurate. One day the sun will have little peaks of rays coming through your haze and you will feel the fog lifting. At that very moment you will realize that saying is true.

 

I let go and let God, this doesn't seem like much but for a type A personality that plans EVERY LITTLE THING DOWN TO A T it's huge, like H-U-G-E huge.

 

I hope the one thing you take away from this post, is that you are so so so so much stronger than you realize and give yourself credit for. Tap into that now, know it and embrace it. For me, this strongness that I know I am capable of IS my new way of life.

 

Much luv,

Michelle

 

 

 

 

 



What have I learned??????

So with everything I go through I try to find that silver lining and knowledge that accompanies EVERY experience.

My self imposed question?

What did I learn?

i *AM* strong

 

 

Come back tomorrow for a deeper discussion.

 

 

Much Luv,

Michelle

PSA's - Read, take what you will and leave the rest

Here are a few things I've learned recently. Please read, think about it, take what you can, use it and leave the rest.

1) Consul with people when they reach out to you. Seriously, you have no idea how much that person needs to know that you don't judge them. Knowing that people are there for you, wether you agree with their decisions is not the issue, it can make such a hard, gut-wrenching decision some what easier. Your lack of response makes that person think a million different things, yes, it really does.

2) Do not change who you are, your personality - NOTHING - about you to try and make the "in" people like you. Yes, I am almost 37 years old, but NOONE likes to be rejected, everyone likes to be liked. Hell we NEED to be liked, it's human nature, BUT if you change yourself, you will regret it knowing that they don't know the real you. And it is ok, more than ok, to not give a damn when they no longer talk to you. I used to smile, but not anymore, and that is absolutely beyond-a-shadow ok. I've even thought about unfriending some of them, but I'm not that ok with not giving a damn.....yet.....

3) The old saying, "Be kind for everyone is fighting some battle." is so so so true. I know in #2 I said it was ok to not give a damn, but it is not ok to be unkind. We are all unkind at some time and point, what I'm saying is be careful be more thoughtful even if you need to stop midstride and reformat.

4) Be more intentional with everything and everyone. Be more intentional in your relationships, give more hugs and luvs. Be more intentional with people, make and keep those plans with friends; QUIT saying you're going to call use that energy and time and just MAKE THE CALL. This last two weeks, I've stopped short when I tell my son "Oh I'll call so and so later and see if we can have a play date." I immediately stop, text or call, and set up something. I've stopped short when I find myself being bitchy, apologize and let go with what ever is causing me to be a bitch.

5) Sometimes what we think is supposed to be our path, well it just isn't. It's hard, my friends, tear your heart out, hurt more than you ever thought it would hard. For some there may be a different path that takes you to the same destination. For others, it might just be the end of the path, the end of a dream. In order for you to live and move forward, you have to accept that.

Please do not think I'm being condescending or better than though, I'm not. These are all things I've learned about myself during this time.

Much Luv
Michelle

Being Real

Did you see the ne name? Heart Made MESS? Yep cause to tell y'all the truth, most of the time I am a mess, wether its me or the house, I'm a mess. BBBUUUUTTTTT......

So this is Blogland and most of what you see is the "suped" up version. Am I guilty of this - ummm, PSA: bears shit in the woods in these parts. So that would be a yes

This blog is about to get REAL, R to the E to the A to the L type REAL. Down in those really 'yucky-don't-wanna-go-there' places and feelings. Yea. I know I don't wanna go either, but I also don't wanna portray that my life and home are perfect. They are far from it my friends.

But this particular post is about how it's ok to NOT be Supermom/wife/woman.

If I have learned one thing from our blurp with fostering is that it is ok to NOT be perfect and need help.

Yep, there I said it. I CAN'T do it all! Ok so not those words, but I have a real issue with asking for help or even taking the help that people freely offer. I don't know, I guess another issue I had/have.

Who knows? Who cares?

This past month I believe I've asked for more help than I have in all my years of being able to do things on my own. Wanna know what I learned? It's ok, it's freeing, it doesn't hurt and it makes those people offering happy.

I've had my folks come over and help me because I didn't know how to take care of two kids at once and use the bathroom (can anyone say overwhelmed?). I've declined and then reaccepted offers to take my cor to birthday parties (thank you Hannah) and reached out and asked for play dates at THEIR house (thank you Paula).

Before this I would have moved heaven and earth before asking for help. Why? I have no idea - I'm just a "pull yourself up by your boot straps and deal with it" gal.

No more. Nope. No way.

I WANT to be real - I WANT real interaction. I'm letting go my friends and it is so freeing.

Let go friends let go.

Much Luv,
Michelle

Grand Adventure #1 (or my first time not planning)

So if you read yesterday's post you will know that I'm tired of planning, tired of thinking for the next week, month, year or decade. So what's a girl or momma to do?

Allow the boy child to play tackle football. Yep, not worry about will it lead to an injury, will it mess up his body for the future, will he be able to finish in the heat. Yep, I did it and I waited till yesterday the start of football camp to sign him up.

A sweet friend from church sent me a text saying that she understood, supported, was proud and loved us and our decision. She also said to "just hold on for all the great adventures with Cor!!" and we are, we did and it was peaceful.

There is so much peace in just letting go.

My heart is healing.

Much Luv,
Michelle

P.S. Here are some pix since I was instructed to "not cheer me on at football camp, it's embarrassing!" So I did the next best thing, take a ton of pictures, ha!

 

 

 

 Yes my friends, We are starting to heal.

 

 

Where do I start?

Hello friends.

The title of the post says it all, Where do I start? It's been so long since I posted I can't remember what has gone on and what hasn't.

There has been so much going on that it's crazy and to be honest I just don't know if I want to rehash it or just move on.

We have decided to close our home to fostering for good.

We're all ok, even better than ok. We've had so much support and love while making this decision it has been a life saver.

I was told we can either or blossom where we are. We decided to blossom, even a cactus blooms in the dessert.

We were in the dessert and I feel like we are starting to live normally again. I'm so tired of living with one foot in the past and one foot in the future. I'm so busy PLANNING I have forgotten how to live.

I'm relearning friends, and that is a marvelous feeling. I am living for the here and now. Planning is out the window.

No I'm not freaking out or having a midlife crisis, but I want to be able to remember other things than planning for the future, the what ifs, the maybes. I want to remember my experiences and relationships.

I will plan for the big things, but I will not spend my entire life planning for the maybes or what ifs anymore. I'm dealing with facts and happenings from now on.

Thank you to all the sweet friends and family that have helped make our decision easier.

Much Luv,
Michelle

Pictures for Birthday post or {me not being tech savy}

Hey All!

Well I realized it has to be my computer and not blogger on uploading the pictures, because I can upload them from another computer. So Geek Squad might be seeing us shortly if Big Daddy can't figure it out.

So Grab your partner, doe see doe, here we go!!!!

FINALLY!! I bribed the man-child to get in the pix. I told him it's all his daddy wanted for Father's Day and his Birthday!

Beer and Shrimp Kisses - could life get any better? Nope!

Someone wasn't too thrilled we told them it was his birthday!

Me and my luv! I'm so lucky!!

His German Chocolate cake - I always make my boys their cakes. Big Daddy is very easy German Choco cake and he's good. Buckaroo well he's a bit more intense. I'll be posting details soon on his Operation Birthday 8.0 Nascar soon.

We gave him a goody bag, here's what I said - "Whoopers for his imagination, dots because he's the dot to our i , and wasabi almonds because he's that smoking hot!' plus those are his favorite snackies.

Buckaroo said "every man needs smell goods for his truck, cause we're country and we work in our trucks!" LOL so he added the smell good vent thingies.

 

Here's my thrifty Tuesday round up. The purses feel softer and softer the more I use them!

Here is the plaque - I luv the verse, i have a james avery ring that has this exact verse written in Hebrew symbols.

Buckaroo was 'neerviis' about Summer MDO starting so I made him a love note (he calls them that). He said it made him feel so much better. He stopped right before we got to where all the kids were and said "Momma, give me a good kiss."

 

 

And here's just a little something something because....well I just can't get enough of these two and the love they have for one another!

 

 

LUVS!!

Michelle

 

 

Thrifty Tuesday and a Happy Happy Happy Birthday!

Hey Guys,

Just a quick note for a Thrifty Tuesday recap this week from Goodwill. I found two sweet, buttery, soft leather purses. A beautiful double heart sculpture with Song of Solomon verse on it. I wasn't too happy with the price of the purses but they so soft and buttery feeling. The silver one is a Nine West and was $9, so as compared to retail it's a great price but for me I think it was high. The green one is a no name (at least what I could see) and was $7. The shadow box with the hearts was only $2, so I think it totally balanced out, lol!

Tuesday was Bid Daddy's 46th Birthday! I'm so lucky to have him, I always say he luvs me at my best, and loves me even more when I'm at my worst! He's a great man, friend, husband, father and just all around great guy! We went to eat at one of our favorite seafood places, a local place named Sharky's. We had the extended family, and everyone had a really great time! we actually got the oldest in a pix (we bribed him, we told him it's all his daddy wanted for Father's day and his birthday)!

He got a goody bag of treats from us. Whoppers because of his imagination, dots because he's the dot to our i , wasabi smokehouse almonds because he's that smoking hot! Buckaroo got him so smell good stuff for his truck, cause all 'men need stuff to make their trucks smell better.'

Buckeroo started his Summer MDO summer 'camp' program yesterday, he was 'neervis' so I tried to cheer him up with a special made card. It worked, before we got to his room he stopped and said, "Momma give me a kiss on the top of my head." Yes, my friends, that is my heart in a puddle in the middle of the floor.

I was hoping to up load some pix but blogger has been having a fit and shutting down every time I try to upload a pix. I have them on my facebook and instagram though. Is anyone else having an issue uploading pix? I've tried resaving them, tried different ones, tried uploading from another site, nothing! Hope it fixes itself soon!!

Much Luvs!
Michelle 

This Is Me May 2013 or "My Time"

Hey all!

Amy over at While Wearing Heels hosted May's This Is Me Linky Party, the optional theme was "Me Time." Well y'all know me and thrifting so....any idea of what I do for my Me Time?

I know I know I'm a tough cookie to crack, but it was thirting, lol! I used to go all the time but I've been making my self go only once or twice a week. We have a Goodwill and a sprinkling of other stores right around work, and I normally use it as a break.

I normally hit the furniture area then books. I LOVE to purchase books at thrift stores. They are usually 10% of their normal retail price and most are in excellent to good shape. So here is one snippet of a Thrifty Thursday for ya.

I have a thing for Russian nesting dolls, this one was a family. It went Daddy, Mommy, child, dog and cat. I normally don't get that many books but someone must have cleaned out their child's books because this was probably 5% that was there! The soup bowls are fabulous, they are opaque-whitish inside with a peachy iridescent outside. No chips, no wear no nothing and four to boot!

Thanks for stopping stoping by!
 
Michelle

Thruthful Thursday or {Me Coming Cleaning}

Hello friends!!

It's a quick confession today, my confession.....I finally hired a house cleaner. Yes, I finally admitted that [to myself] that I can't do it all. Bubba Hubster has been on me to hire someone to help me out, just come in and do the deep scrubbing and cleaning. He said if he had someone come in and do the yard maintanence for him,I needed someone to come in and do maintanence cleaning. For a long time I resisted, but then I finally gave in, and to be completely honest....I absolutely love it! As long as we can comfortably afford it I will continue to have them. It's so nice to not have to spend my weekend time scrubbing. I can actually get projects done faster, and completed!!

And another confession.....last week when my guy's boots dropped dried mud on the floor Wednesday night I didn't even sweep it up. Nope, I thought about it running out the door Thursday morning, forgot it that night and didn't worry about it at all Friday morning since they come Friday after noon.

It was nice!

Luvs!
Michelle

Thrifty Tuesday {or trying to get posting down which I'm not sure will ever happen!}

Good Morning!!

I know I seem to pop up like weeds in a flower bed - all beautiful mulch one night and then the next morning - BAM! - there I am all scraggly 4' of me, lol!

A quick recap to get caught up:

Menu Monday -

M: sloppy joes & chips
T: denny's (Bubba Hubster & my daddy are out of town so Buckaroo, Momma Matriach (my momma) and myself will be treating ourselves to a dinner out!)
W: drive - thru - I know I know, two days in a row but it's church and we dont get out until 8ish and a 30 min drive after dropping off Cor's friend. yes, please and thank you for McDonald's.
T: sausage, potatoes and carrots
F: french bread pizza (new recipe I'm going to try from a great blog I read Blissful & Domestic)
S: I'm taking another que from Danielle and doing a leftover night and this will be it.
S: pork chops & corn

Thrifty Tuesday:

I had some major scores this week! My aunts came in and we went to the cannery and canned lots of food. We also hit a couple different  thrift stores that I don't normall hit.

 

Isn't it all great looking!!

 

 

Now onto the goodies! To the front left a set of four handled beautiful peach colored carnival glass bowls ($4). To the back left is a liqour decanter with a glass etching of a deer in the forest ($2), to the side of that is an iridescent crystal bowl ($4) (I love me some iridescent)! Of course my 'go-to' spot  each and every time the kids book sections, I also found a McGee and Me video (total $5). I told Bubba Hubster I need one of those machines that transfers VHS to DVD. Then I think my most favorite item a family themed Matryoshka doll - I have a love affair with them ($2)! This has a daddy, mommy, child, doggy and kitty. 

I hope everyone has a great day and come back tomorrow for Wonderful Wednesday!!

Much Luv,
Michele

Friday Fun

Hello Friends!

I want to make a fun easy post for Fridays. So as I do with our menu planning I try to make up a name for the day that has the same letter as the day (yes seriously I do that Taco Tuesdays).

My Fridays are now known as Friday Fun, it's a quick post that you can show a link to your post or just tell us what you have planned for the weekend! Yeppers, that easy!! Easy Peasy Lemon Weasey!!

We will have a fantastic weekend. We are wanting to see Jurassic Park in 3D on Friday, that series is one of Buckaroo's most favorite. I thought it would be awesome to be able to see it with him and then on top of that it's 3D folks!! On Saturday my SIL & BIL are coming in from Oklahoma and staying with us for the evening and we are taking them to Galveston for their seven day cruise. We are so excited we haven't seen our OK family in WWAAAYYYY too long! Since we are gonna be in Galveston on Sunday we decided to make it a family outting and enjoy the Strand and some shops.

What is everyone up to? Hope to hear from you!

Much Luv,
Michelle

Thruthful Thursday.....{or Me Being a Little Less Chicken}

Good Morning Friends!!

I hope everyone has had a great week so far, just think we are only really one day away from the weekend. I figure why count today, when we've already gotten up because that's the hardest part for me!!

Speaking of which, what time do y'all wake up? What do you do in the mornings? I used to be sleep until the last second possible, run run run and leave. At the time I was a smoker and I wouldn't even wake up early enough to have relaxed smoke in the morning! Well now 9.5 yrs later, I'm total opposite, I'm smoke free and I get up at 5 am and we leave at 7:50 am. I pick up, change the laundry, dishwasher, tidy, etc until 6 am then I allow myself to have 'me' time. I usually do all my computer stuff so I can have a clear plate to start the day,read blogs, emails, facebook, etc and have my coffee. I enjoy having everything cleared, tidies and a fresh slate, plus it would take me three times longer in the evening along with everything else.

Anyways, I've been doing the link up from Amy of While Wearing Heels for This is Me, and this is been such a cathartic experience for me. So much so that I've decided that I'm going to make Thursdays around here Thruthful Thursdays, along with other posts if I want/need to. It's going to be about anything that I would normally not share because it's not "perfect" dang type A personality! I hope that you'll join me! Now I have no idea how to do a Linky Party so if you do want to join post a link, a story, etc in the comments and I'll try to start to figure out how to make a linky party.

So here it is:

 Before

After

 

Y'all laundry, ugh, laundry. Don't get me wrong I am so grateful that we are blessed to have clothes and the "problem" of laundry, BUT I can't stand the putting away part. For real, I wish we had three complete outfits, one towel and rag apiece, and two pairs of jammies. I would NEVER have anything to really put away, lol! Nothing else of laundry bothers me, not the sorting (which I gave up long ago I just use vinegar in all my loads), changing from washer to dryer, unloading and preparing the clothes to be hung, folding EXCEPT putting them away. Maybe it's all the different closets - gosh I sound like a BRAT! But it is what it is, and I am who I am (thanks Amy!).

 

Ok so I snapped this picture on Mondays and was gonna put it on facebook to show my 'downfall' ......but I'm too chicken still to do that. So I decided I was gonna share over here where I'm completely more comfortable. This little exercise was two fold for me, making myself more comfortable with showing the real me, and it pushed me to put away those clothes. I could just hear all of y'all saying, 'Take a break shell, rest and then put them away a small section at a time.' So thank y'all so much for allowing this blog to be that sanctuary that I always wanted it to be! This is my work on goal for April, I usually leave all the stuff folded and ready for hangers on the dryer. I'm gonna work on putting away each load asap! So I best close out and go put up the one on the dryer now!

 

Ok confession time! What are you struggling with, words or pictures are great! Please tell me I'm not alone?

 

Much Luv,

Michelle

 

PS. Ok since it IS Thruthful Thursday, that first picture isn't completely accurate....both sides were about 4-6" higher. But I just couldn't bring myself to post THAT picture yet!

This Is Me or {Being Naked Is Scary Part 2}

Hey Friends!

It's that time of month again, Amy's This Is Me linky party, and I'm really excited (even more so than normal) to link up this month. Ok, I'm really nervous too, I don't normally show my vulnerable side to most people. I'm just not comfortable with it, but it's a bit of relief to take off that "everything is perfect and I have no issues" mask.

Ok so now that we know Michelle has some serious issues (lol!) here's the picture:

It's technically looking towards the ground BUT it was looking down my camera, plus it just connected to me so emotionally I HAD to go with it. I know most people would say "ok this is a total normal let's post to facebook and show people what I'm doing" picture. But not to me. To let you in on how m brain works this is what I see, and what truthfully went through my head, BUT it was fleeting, came in and went out. And truthfully y'all Amy's linky parties have been so wonderful for me, so liberating and the feedback y'all give me well, it has boosted my confidence so much that I can tell myself, 'No Michelle THIS is enough, this moment, this place, these things, these are enough. You don't have to do/be/say anything to be better you *ARE* good enough just being. Right here, right now, right this way - YOU ARE ENOUGH! A very dear dear friend, you know those kind that you might not talk to for a couple months but hen you do u pick up right where you left off like you were talking to them yesterday, yea that kind, well she planted the "enough" seed and started watering a while ago, then Amy came along and this wonderful linky party and she gave me some fertilizer and food and then y'all are watering me with your feedback. Please do NOT misunderstand and think I don't have this support at home because I do and always have from my family, adolescence just wasn't nice y'all, it wasn't. It's just different when you hear it from people that aren't your momma, daddy, hubby or son. I hope and pray everyday that I raise my son and future children to always ALWAYS A-L-W-A-Y-S think of how the person you are talking to will receive the message you are saying. And to always stick up for people even if you don't know them. It's hard to go against the grain, but if you do and you get splinters we will ALWAYS be there to pick them out., be that person that helps pick splinters out.  People just don't realize how deep scars really run, especially when you're young.  Ok so now that I got totally off track, here's my first thoughts.

1) Um, no this will not work because
     a) look  - my belly's protruding into the picture
     b) um ever seen an elephants foot - no? well just look at my heels it'll be a great reference point
     c) yea i'm ssssooooo not linking a picture with the stuffing coming out of the cushion - damn squirrels
     d) I can't see it now, but I'm sure there was a D then.

So all in all, it wasn't PERFECT.

 The belly represented my umpteenth failure at weight loss - even a GASTRIC BYPASS surgery didn't do it.

The elephant hide heels well I don't know what it repped but it just doesn't fit with perfect.

The chewed up cushion, again it wasn't perfect.

What will people say? What will people think? Oh my look at how fat she is she's a failure. Why did she take a picture of her scaly feet? Why hasn't she gotten a pedicure? Oh my word look at that stuffing coming out - why hasn't she replaced it yet?

Remember I forewarned y'all about the way I think, LOL!

All this played like super fast forward in my mind, lasting about two minutes max. Wanna know what then immediately popped into my mind?

ENOUGH

Yes, I am enough, my world is enough, my everything is enough!!

 

I looked at that picture again, and this is what I REthought (yes it is a word even if it isn't ;)

 

I AM going to use this picture because:

a) my belly - well it housed, fed and protected the most wonderful little being ever in my world that we never thought we'd be graced with.

b) my elephant heels - yes I still want a pedicure (who doesn't!?) but I haven't wanted to spend the money or time on it for a while because I've been spending that same money and same time doing amazing adventures and making the most marvelous memories with the most wonderful BIG being in my world that helped make that most wonderful LITTLE being in our world and that same little being.

c) the cushion - it's a freaking cushion!! and it helped a momma take care of her babies during the winter months, be it a squirrel, bird, whatever. it helped another thing survive. I can buy another cushion.

 

This picture also represented that I was starting to take time for things that I enjoyed again. I love to read but had pretty much stopped doing it except for blogs because it took too much time from CLEANING, (aka PERFECTING things). Umm, sorry but that is crazy, (yes I sometimes need a hammer to donk me upside the head). I was just so deep into and surrounded by the trees that I couldn't see the forest.

 

Ok I know that was deep LIKE really really REALLY deep, I don't normally do that but you know sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zone.I hope you will continue to come back and I didn't scare you off! I thank God everyday that He has made our paths cross and that we are encouragement to one another.

 

Thank you for watering me!

 

And Amy thank you for fertilizing and feed me AND us!

 

Much Luv,

Michelle