Day 323 - Happy Birthday Mr. Strong!!!!!

Today the man I have been with for 17 years turns...

Oops - sorry - I'm not supposed to tell you that he is OLDer than me! But, he is veryyyyyy close to 40 now!

And as long as he stays looking this good, we might make it another 17.

Let's face it, the whole men are from Mars and women are from Venus shiaz it BS. Really, the whole situation is reversed. Men are the emotional creatures - they get all upset and emotional if they don't have clean socks, underwear or can't find something. Women are the simple creatures - all we want is a yummy body and someone to buy us the things we want (notice I did not write "need").

So as long as Mr Strong stays yummy and rich he will have my everlasting dying devotion and love!

Just playing honey! You know I love you!

Anywhoozle

In honor of Mr Strong's birthday celebration today (which I wasn't invited to over lunch...just saying.) there are a few people that would like to give a speech:

Doodlebug

Dear Daddy,
Thank you for my new boots! I now have new boots like you. I will wear them with everything - including shorts and naked! I love my new boots! I can't really run in them yet and they are a little big, but I will soon be big like you and know how! Daddy, thank you for everything that you have taught me all these 3 years! I love spanking mommy on the butt to make her mad. I love wresting with you and soon I will be able to shoot guns with you - pow! pow! But most importantly, thank you for saving my life the other day out at Windwalkers! I really appreciated you yelling "don't pee into the wind son!" Whewww! That was a really close one! In honor of your birthday daddy, I got you these lizards out of my easter eggs! You can't have them - they're mine - but I will let you look at them for about 5 seconds before I throw a fit because I love you daddy! Happy Birfday!

Rrrrrrr! Rrrrrrr! Rrrrrrr!

Kiki

Dear Dad,
I want to thank you for....um....um....I want to thank you for um....um...um...
I want to thank you for not getting mad at me when we had a food fight the other day at that restaraunt and I threw a tomato and it landed on your head. It took about 5 seconds before you wiped it off and it was really funny! Thank you for supporting me and reminding me every day that I need to make better choices with my food and tummy. Thank you for always being a dad that will bust my butt if I do wrong. More importantly, thank you for being the kind of dad that will play with us even when most of the times it is in public and we are throwing food or spitballs and mommy gets mad. Thank you for acting MY age and playing with me. I was going to buy you a present but remember that one time, that you made me eat all those Jalapenos and I did and then you paid me? Well I put the money on my dresser and now it is gone! Kitty swears she doesn't know what happened to it, but she has money and I don't. Remember that one time I bought her something and she was going to pay me back...well she hasn't...but I love you daddy, Happy Birthday!

Kitty

 Dear Dad,
Thank you for letting me be daddy's little girl. Thank you for allowing mom to always have money when she refuses to buy me stuff with hers. (Like the tennis raquet...) Thank you for being the perfect combination of hard and soft. Thank you for questioning my friends and keeping boys so far away that I might as well be gay, by taking off your shirt and cleaning your guns out on the front porch. Thank you for letting me get away with more stuff than I should, but also thank you for your discipline and old-fashioned ways too. I know I am special because I am your first born and because you favor me over the other two because you love me more, so I wanted to give you this present. It is a keychain that reads World's Best Dad. Well? Because you are the world's best dad! I know I have money to spend, but remember the other day when you let me and Kiki go to the movies and you paid because mom wouldn't because we didn't "earn" it? Well, I won this keychain in honor of your generosity and felt that this present was the most appropriate for your special day today! Happy Birthday dad! I love you!

Drill Sergeant

Sweetie pie, honey, dear. Thank you for being a great dad and a loving husband. Thank you for having a good sense of humor and allowing me to post some of the craziness that I write. You are my strength, you are my rock and you are my insanity! (yes, you make me crazy...)

Thank you for being faithful (like you have a choice...) around all my hotass friends.

And finally thank you for wearing a bright pink lifesaver around your neck to support our family and charities! You seriously are one of the last standing good men!

Mr. Strong

 I love you beyond the words I write...
I love you to the looney bin and back... oops
I love you to the moon and back...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!



(NOTE: I will be reposting this for Father's Day with the "happy birthday's" removed.) 

;-)

Days 316-322 Squishy and Wet!

First, let me write that Easter break was great! We had a wonderful time and it was nice to see family and friends!

Unfortunately, not much has changed on the list of "to do's"! But, who cares?!

Don't get me wrong...I haven't lost my motivation, I have just adopted the positive attitude that "everything shall be accomplished and will come to me at the perfect time in the perfect way..."

Okay, now for today's real post...

Sometimes you just have to suck it up in life and do what has to be done! Sometimes you just have to put on the big girl panties, close your eyes and jump feet first.

Today was that day for me. Today was THE day. Today was my yearly exam...ughhhh.

To all you men out there, this is NOT something we like to experience!

Step 1. Wait for a short time in the waiting room only to be shown to a room, told to undress, so you can wait for an hour naked with Kleenex paper covering what little areas you can creatively use to form around your naked body in the coldest room ever!

So I am waiting there and my stomach is nervous like always - like I could explode with earth shattering diarrhea nervous! Then I do the pre-self evaluation.

Hygiene: check
Grooming: check
Pedicure: check
Self Confidence: waiting outside the door until my clothes can be put back on.

Finally the doctor and nurse come in and the small talk commences and lasts all through the examination - like that really takes my mind off of what is happening! Well maybe a little...

Step 2: Act calm and collective and answer any questions the doctor has with loooooong drawn out explanations in order to delay the next phase.

Step 3: Lie down while trying to keep all pertinent body parts covered with Kleenex paper and take some mental notes during the examination: 1. I should have had that boob job... 2. by the way he is pushing on my abdomen, I am not as far along on my six-pack abs as I thought... 3. I need some lotion...

Step 4: Pretend that I didn't hear the doctor ask me to move to the end and insert my feet into the stirrups. (What? I thought we were done - damn! Silently act mad that I didn't scoot far enough to hang my naked ass off the bench and scream at the nurse to quit staring at my Vajayjay!) I wonder what that image really is...in that particular position, what exactly does the doctor see? Hmmm? One of these days I will find out...don't ask how.

Step 5: Commence with the lube, medical instruments and the appropriately titled Papsmear! Then commence the final ovarian, uterine and cervical exams! And, pray to the Universe that I don't fart or poop through any of it!  

That's wayyyy sexy huh?

When it was over and I could finally get dressed, I was left with longing for a hug or something.

Not really, just kidding.

Actually, all I was left with was squishy and wet. Nothing like being squishy and wet and having to go back to work! Ewww!

BUT, on my way back and to help reduce the OVEREXPOSURE I just experienced, I went and tanned. Yep, getting naked because I want to!

There's nothing like a little artificial sunlight with heels on!

It made me feel a little sexier than Kleenex paper and mental notes!

Whoooooo  Sahhhhhhhh!

Days 309-315 Let's Catch Up!

Hello world!

I thought it was about time that we get acquainted again, so let's catch up!

1. New House: it's still out there somewhere! And I hope that we get our "issues" worked out quickly, because we received another notice in the mail for ANOTHER out-of-state sex offender that moved into our AREA. This totally sucks and I don't think these people should be allowed to live within 10 miles of ANY school! (Go back to your state!!!)

2. Current House: it's still under renovation and decluttering. This totally sucks too because I still feel all alone in the process. The girls are about to be AWARDED only 1 weeks worth of clothing. I am so tired of the mounds of laundry and piles of crap! (yes, it's my fault, I know) I feel that if they can't help me keep their room "show" ready, then they have too much stuff - period!

3. Work: let me just write that my workload is NOT decreasing, but my frustrations ARE increasing! I need to leave this subject alone and go meditate...whoooooosaaaaaah....

4. Life: it is completely busy, but now that we are closer to the end of school, it is getting much easier!


Kitty:



This was her LAST tennis tournament of the year. She played mixed doubles and her and her partner took 1st place!!!! Varsity here we come next year! I'm so proud! 


Kiki:

This was her LAST orchestra concert of the year! She has played soooo awesome!

Kiki is located waaaaaay over there -----^^^^^^^!

Doodlebug:



Way too cute to give away!



Kiki's concert was extremely crowed!!!! They made all the parents sit on one side = not enough room! This is how Doodlebug acted...



During the upbeat songs he was all attentive and captivated. Unfortunately for my patience, those songs didn't last long! Ugh! Once those songs were over, this is what happened...



Hey mommy?! You can't see meeeeeeee!!!

Look mommy! Look mommy! Look mommy!

Mommy, mommy, mommy! Watch this! Watch this!

MOMMY! MOMMY! I SEE YOU! WHERE AM I MOMMY? YOU CAN'T SEE ME!

 Needless to say he was bored and I was about to have a nervous breakdown trying to get him to be quite and sit down when Mr. Strong arrived...

PLEASE.
TAKE.
HIMMMMMM!


Then...

MOMMY! MOMMY! KITTY! KITTY! LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME!

Finally Mr. Strong had to take him outside, which didn't bother him that much because he TOO was talking -  business on his phone! Shish!

Now that I have a little breathing room and some flexibility in my weekly schedule (no more kid's practices!) I have started training the girls.  They are officially (last week) in training to complete the Marine Corps Youth Physical Fitness Challenge! Oh yeah baby! The Drill Sergeant is back!!!!!

My babies! I'm glad they can walk off the campus and still love me for being hard on them! :-)

As for me, I am "officially" down 22lbs (the food and wine last week and throughout our trip added a couple lbs back...) I 'm still happy though! Since January - well really the end of February - I have cut down 8% body fat and you can start to see my Transverse Abs/External Obliques forming the desired V shape. Yes, I still have a lot of work to do, but I am determined to meet my New Year's Resolution!

I will get there!!!!!

Matter of fact! I was going to keep my lazy butt at home yesterday, but I went to the gym and cycled 20 miles instead! I felt great for making that decision! And really that is all this whole journey is...making one positive decision at a time in order to be successful!

 Are you still on track toward your resolutions or goals?

Days 305-308 Back to Reality

I have no point or purpose for today's post.

I just felt like I needed to break out the keyboard and start typing.

I am an emotional tornado right now. I am in limbo between "I am such a lucky person!" and "Am I really happy?"

Yes, I sit here at my computer and type away in hopes that my fingers will create a soothing, energy release because I am in desperate need of "something".

Mr. Strong would say that I am in desperate need of a shot of "petercillian", but that is another story...

I'm working on meditating more.

I'm working on finding balance again.

It just seems that since my studio location was given away to another business and I began all of this house renovation, house hunting, house building, the kids need this, the kids want that, where in the crapballs is Mr. Strong, and work's end of year (so do freaking everything), that I have lost myself in the detour I am on - and I don't want any of it - anymore...

Then...

Kitty placed 2nd in her doubles tennis tournament this weekend - we missed Mr. Strong's brother's wedding, (but in my defense, since we only had 5 days notice, Kitty just couldn't bail on her doubles partner because then she wouldn't have been able to play in the tournament...her coach would have been furious since you are supposed to let them know at the beginning of the season if you can't make any of the tournaments, blah, blah, blah...his brother doesn't have a lot to do with the kids anyway...this SHOULD be understandable, right?), and after a very heated argument between Mr. Strong and I, I took the kids away for the night this weekend while he went to a shoot.  I discovered all over again how good my life is. The kids had so much fun this weekend. It was a stress free couple of days - well almost, Doodlebug was very close to being gagged and duct-taped to his stroller while we were in the mall - but other than that, we had a lot of relaxing fun.  

Then...

Back to reality on the drive home. Back to the mounting frustrations over what we will do about our "new house" situation. Back to our "the deadline's looming" taxes. Back to the decision making over what we should do to our house before it goes on the market. Back to the cleaning before the maid comes. Back to the kids messy rooms, laundry, and work.

Like I wrote...back to reality.

I'm trying desperately to turn my mind off for 15 minutes to recuperate without the help of a bottle of wine or Advil PM!

Any suggestions?

With the stress of everything that has been going on, I have lost some weight. On this note, I will start back running this week. I haven't ran since January because of my asthma, sickness or the 100 mile/hour wind we have had every day since. I'm sure I will be sore and passed out on the side of the treadmill or road, but rest assured - I will get over it!

I just hope my endorphins return!

Days 298-304 WhoooooSaaaaaah!

Okay, for how long now have I been preaching about the Law of Attraction and how long have I seemed to forgotten everything that I had written....??????

TOO. LONG.

I come here today after several nights of meditation....WhooooSaaaaaah....and another morning of leaving the house irritated and angry about feeling like I am in a sea of never ending house work! Cleaning! De-cluttering! Searching! Cleaning! Cleaning! and oh, did I mention CLEANING!

It seems that when I go to sleep at night, Gremlins take over and I wake up to crap everywhere all over again!

So, back to my original question. How long have I been preaching about the LOA?

Long enough to know that my actions and thoughts are causing my grief! For example, how many times have I let go of the "how" and manifested what it was that I wanted? MANY!

So why is it so hard for me to let of the HOW now? How am I going to find the perfect house? How am I going to get this house completed and ready to sell? How am I going to manage any time differences between the two? How am I going to finish getting everything done? How am I going to manage the changes in school, schedule or getting the girls home everyday in another neighborhood? How am I going to fix, update or redecorate my new house? How am I going to pay our tax bill this year AND afford to put 20% down on a new house? How? How? How?

(Oh and HOW am I going to buy a house with great Feng Shui? My current house is the perfect Feng Shui house and hard to compete with! Seriously people! You need to google what the perfect Feng Shui house consist of and you will find my house! I'm sure Mr. Strong is rolling his eyes right about now!)

It.
Is.
Exhausting.

I.
Am.
Exhausted.

Mentally and physically exhausted...

So today I am giving up the how. (WhooooSaaaaah) I no longer care about HOW - I just know that the perfect house is coming my way and I will sell my house in 1-3 days of putting it on the market. (WhooooSaaaaah!) I KNOW these things. (I have too...WhooooSaaaaah)

Now that I am relaxed - instead of bitching and complaining about How and Why and When and Where and WHEN (yes, my patience is limited.) I am going to share with you some before and after pics.

I am going to turn this frown upside down and marvel at the beauty my current house exudes! The Law of Attraction teaches us that if we complain and express our "don't wants" then we keep attracting what we don't want! Duh!

I have been writing and complaining and expressing that "I don't want to keep struggling with my current house...I can't find a new house...I don't want to keep cleaning my house EVERY DAY over and over again...I don't want this...I can't do that..." and POOF! I keep getting what I don't want and can't have!

No more.

For the sake of my sanity, family and marriage.

Today, I am going to leave a bigger tip than normal, help someone out, or even donate some money. I need to strengthen my weakened perspective of how lucky and fortunate I really am in my life!

Enjoy!

This door had just been painted and is wet! "Hey mommy, I see you! Whatcha doing mommy?"

Guest Bathroom Door Before.

Guest Bathroom Door After - Oh yeah! I did this!

Hallway Before

Hallway After! (Sorry for the darkness...I'm not a photographer by trade!)

2nd Hallway Before

2nd Hallway After! LOVE the new baseboards! Im so badass! (Cabbage patch - running man!)

Master Closet Before (what's behind the door is a whole other before and after story! ugh!)

Master Bath Before



Master Closet After (Oh yeah - I'm bad - riding the pony!)




Master Bath After  (the white doors have really brighten up the place!)



LOVE the new paint color and the crown moulding!



The girls' closet doors - not sure what happened to my before...or Doodlebug's closet doors pictures...hmmmm?



New paint color and crown!



Again, the new paint color and crown! LOVE it! (Let's partaaay! Hula, Hula!)



Okay, I will confess that the doors were ALL ME (and a little Mr. Strong ;-)  ), but the new paint, baseboards and crown moulding was hired out. I am completely aware of my limitations! :-) Mr. Strong pointed out many of them when I ventured into the door hanging and hardware replacement business...but you won't see those pictures!

;-)

Days 294-297 - It's getting so much worse!

I can't begin this post without a truly heavy heart. I think this detour has been an unwelcome curse. Last night Mr. Strong and I decided to get a divorce  - not to mention having to explain that to our 3 children. It's be a true nightmare and I wish this whole "new" house thing would  not have ever been attempted!

My heart is broken and I am angry at the man and postcard I received about him being a "HIGH RISK" that started this whole process!!!!!

Since some of my story is inappropriate for my younger readers, you will have to go read the rest of the story here.

I hope you understand...