Still here...

We are alive and kicking...thank goodness. We are just trying to get through the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. I am off to work Monday and Tuesday of this week and then I am off until the following Monday. Thank you vacation that must be used before the end of the year or you lose it...I love you.

Bryan had his surgery on December 2nd and he is doing great. The surgeon wanted him to lose as much weight as possible before the surgery to avoid being cut open to perform the surgery. I am so happy to report that he lost 50 pounds before the surgery and they were able to perform the surgery through laproscopic (I am pretty sure that I spelled that incorrectly). I am also elated to inform everyone that in three weeks since his surgery he has lost 33 more pounds making his total 83 pounds total weight loss. He looks great, his clothes are falling off of him and he is generally doing quite well. The best part is that he has not even started exercising yet because he has not been cleared by the doctor...whom he will see on the 31st.

So we are on our way to a new healthy lifestyle for the whole family. It is strange to do the grocery shopping and we are spending more time in the fruits and vegetable sections and we completely skip over the junk food aisles. I will post some pictures in the weeks to come...so that you can see the pictures of his progress.

I hope that everyone had a Merry Christmas and that everyone has a wonderful and safe new year.

Crap!

Yes, you read that correctly...CRAP! That is the one word that I can use (well actually I can use many others but I have taken a vow to watch my mouth...to eliminate the vulgar language that is) to describe the last couple of weeks.

I am working out of town, driving 80 miles one way to get to work and then 9 hours later I am driving 80 miles to go home. Time for a hybrid vehicle...my SUV gas guzzler is going to kill me...or at least drain the bank that is. CRAP!

I was sick about three and a half weeks ago with bronchitis and a sinus infection...CRAP! I got some antibiotics and felt great about a week later. NOT CRAP!

Drove 80 miles to work one day and sat in a room full of rude people who sneezed, coughed, and sniffed all day long without covering their noses or mouths. Not to mention that we were passing around papers all day long that they touched. Then guess what! The next day I felt like CRAP! I was sick again. Drove 80 miles home, went to the doctor (this is crap too!), got more antibiotics, cough pills, and miracle mouthwash (which is beyond crap...the word to describe this is way to vulgar for this blog). The diagnosis is...drum roll please!

Bronchitis AGAIN! CRAP!
Sinus Infection AGAIN! CRAP!
Ear Infection (something new) CRAP!
Walking Pneumonia (again...something new) CRAP!

Today is Friday and well the weather is cold (44 degrees) and wet (extremely rainy)...CRAP AGAIN!!!!

October 12th is my 37th birthday...SUPER CRAP!!! Only 3 more years until the big 4-0! Normally I would say HOLY SHIT but I am not saying that...I am only saying HOLY CRAP!!!

Have a great weekend!

Big Project Update...

Just when I thought I could strip, stain, and makeover my kitchen...drum roll please!

I hit a snag.

I know, you are all thinking that it is not a big deal. Everyone runs into snags when doing a remodel, a redecorate, or anything that involves fixing something that should be pretty simple. Well not us. We are the ones who bought our dream house for a fresh start to our new marriage and our new life together. Once we moved into our home, we decided that we should replace the roof the following year because it was leaking. We are the ones who had the contractor from hell who ripped off our existing roof during a torrential downpour. We are the ones who came home to find our belongings floating because there was six inches of water floating in our living room. We are the ones who got the phone call that one of the roofers fell into our bedroom from the roof. So forgive me when I say that if anything can go wrong in our house...it will.

I took all of the doors off of my upper kitchen cabinets. I was so happy that I was not going to have a blue kitchen anymore. I was going to have beautiful wooden cabinets that I stained myself and saved a huge amount of money. Now here is where the snag comes in. Are you ready???

I stained the first 6 doors only to find out that the doors are not the same wood from one cabinet to the other. The stain that I applied seriously looks like crap. For some reason the grain of the wood for whatever reason is extremely different on all of the doors and the grain for some reason took on a really light highlight when the rest of the stain is really dark. It seriously looks as if it is a hair highlighting job gone bad.

So I sit here contemplating what color to paint my cabinets because in addition to the staining fiasco I have found that the bottom cabinets are paint grade cabinets only. So as you can see, painting is my only option. Well not really my only option, I can pay someone a thousand dollars to order me new doors and still have problems because the cabinet itself will not match. Ugh! I am so frustrated. I want to close my eyes, cross my arms, and wiggle my nose and have my kitchen be done. Anyone have a magic lamp and one wish that I can have?

Big Project

So if you know me, you know that I like to change things around. I like to change my office furniture around. I like to change my furniture at home as often as possible. I like to change things around in my kitchen, my bathroom, my computer room, and my dining room. My brother in law says that every time he comes to my house there is something different about it.

We have installed a chain link fence to keep our little pooches in. We did this over the long weekend of the fourth of July. Well now that you all know that, I must say that I am changing something else. I am stripping my kitchen cabinets and staining them. This is a big project and I am excited as I can not wait to get rid of my very blue kitchen cabinets. I will be posting pictures of the progress as well as the before and after pictures. I am thinking that I should consider a career change. Who knows, I could be the next DIY show host.

Wish me luck!

Still Kicking

Welcome Summer!

I know that it really isn't technically or officially summer but it has been really nice here this weekend. I went to a local strawberry farm and picked up a couple quarts of the luscious red berries. They are wonderful, I did not put any sugar on them and they taste like I did. Bonus, they are healthy! Well as healthy as can be until I put them on top of angel food cake and topped them with cool whip. YUMMY!!!!

We are planting a garden again this year, although we have toned it down from last year's garden. We only have three tomato plants, three pepper plants, and two banana pepper plants. I am looking forward to making fresh salsa.

I received news that Suzie will be coming home again for another visit. I am the luckiest person in the whole world, I get to see her again this summer. Just when I thought that this year would suck because I would not get to see her like I wish I could, she will be here again! I love it! I just wish I could see the kiddos and her hubby too but the Army will not allow me to see him this time either. Bummer!

Well I hope everyone has a great week, enjoy the nice weather!

Happy Birthday Zman!

Happy 13th Birthday Zman!

This is Zman at about 2 1/2 months old...maybe three months.

This is Zman on his 1st Birthday.

This is Zman a few days before his 13th Birthday!

This is Zman now, a teenager!

My Dearest Zman,

Thirteen years ago on May 20th I gave birth to a precious little boy who gave my life meaning. That little boy gave me a reason to live today, dream tomorrow, and cherish yesterday. That little boy has grown up to be a handsome little man. That little boy is you. You are my world, you are the reason for my drive and determination.

I am very proud of you for being you, not the kid who society says you should be. Yes, I may get discouraged and angry at times with some of the crazy things you do. But I have to sit back and remember that the crazy things that you do, make you...you! We all make mistakes and there is nothing wrong with that as long as you learn from your mistakes.

I am very happy to have you in my life and I want you to have the best birthday.

Love,

Mom

Thank you!

Thank you all for the prayers. My hubby had his tests done today and we were told by the doctors that everything looks fine. He has been diagnosed with Wolfs Parkinson White Syndrome. Basically that means that he has more than one electrical line going through his heart and could cause his heart rhythm to be erratic. We were told by the doctor today that many people have this syndrome and do not even know it. As long as he feels fine and does not have any problems then everything should be fine.

So after spending the day with my hubby and going through three doctors appointments I am glad to say that things are moving forward with his bariatric surgery. I tease him that he will leave me when he is all skinny but he has assured me that he is doing this because he wants to be able to be with me for many, many years to come. My goal of this is that we are going to go back to the weight loss group meetings and we are going to stand up and tell the group that one of us had bariatric surgery and one did not...can you tell? I have to learn how to cook all over again and I have to be his partner in this so we are getting two weight losses for the price of one.

Thanks again for all of your prayers, they were greatly appreciated and helped tremendously.

Wish us luck!

Prayers Please

My hubby is going through testing so that he is able to have gastric bypass surgery at the end of summer. I know that there are people out there that are saying that all it takes is a little exercise and you are right however he has gone past the point where a little exercise will do it. He is to the point where walking around the block is very hard for him.

Yesterday he had to have an Upper GI, a Thyroid test, blood work, chest x-rays, and a EKG. Well on his way home from work today, the doctor's office called and there is something wrong with the EKG. They will not give him any information over the phone, he must go in and talk to the doctor in person.

I will admit that I am scared. I have seen what heart problems can do to a person, a marriage, and a family. Please help us by saying a prayer for him as he is just as scared as I am if not more.

Hello...I am back!

It has been a while since my last post and honestly I did not have anything to nice to say and I was always taught that if you did not have anything nice to say then you should not say anything at all.

This weekend the weather was beautiful. I took the day off on Friday and raked all the leaves out of the flower beds, cleaned up the sticks from our recent wind storms, and generally enjoyed the nice weather. I decided that Saturday was going to be a family day so we threw the golf clubs in the car and off we went.

We decided to go to New York and hit a few antique shops where we found a pair of beer lights for our basement (which is complete with pool table, air hockey, darts, and a television). The beer lights are wooden with Schmidt Beer globes and will look awesome with our sports memorabilia that we already have down there. After our antiquing adventure, we decided to head to a little place in Barcelona, New York that sells smoked whitefish. The hubby and Zman were absolutely ecstatic as this is one of their absolute favorites. When we pulled up they were just opening the smokers to empty them out, the smell was wonderful. (I know that you are saying Ewww! Suz)

We continued to take the scenic route through Dunkirk and then through Jamestown where we stopped and I found the kitchen cabinets of my dream. We priced it out and we can actually do it for a couple of thousand dollars compared to the several thousands that I thought it was going to be. I am so excited, I am saving every penny. I am also accepting any donations from those who know what my very blue kitchen cabinets look like now...lol!

We stopped and had lunch at Applebees where I had the magnificent Crispy Orange Chicken Bowl which is my favorite. It has rice, broccoli, snow peas, carrots, red peppers, fresh mushrooms, onions, slivered almonds, chow mien noodles, and chicken in a spicy orange sauce.
YUMMY!!!!

We then hit the driving range in Edinboro for a few fun filled hours. I got to swing the clubs a little, drive a few balls, and eventually we played a round of miniature golf where the hubby kicked our butts. We had a good time and that is all that matters.

On Sunday we walked in the March of Dimes, March for Babies. I was walking in honor of my two nephews, Tommy and Cooper. According to the paper, there were 2500 walkers but I believe there were more. I think that there were 2500 registered however there were friends with registered walkers that were not included in the 2500. My friend Karen walked with Zman and I. We walked half of it and well let's be honest, I was not going to walk the other half. Thanks to the cheese bus drivers that were there to rescue us amateur walkers.

I hope that everyone had the nice weather and had the opportunity to enjoy it.

Here's wishing everyone sunny days ahead!

Gains...and Losses!

Why is it that when something seems to go right and you gain something it seems as if you must lose something? I guess all aspects of life are based upon giving and taking.

I gained a promotion at work and as a result I am losing a friend because that person does not want to accept any authority that I have. It is a good thing that I am at work to get a paycheck instead of friends because I would be broke if I didn't.

Sorry, I am just venting...I can not seem to vent anywhere anymore without major criticism.

It is almost Friday! YEAH!!!

Cooper...Suz & Ron

Well today is Suz & Ron's wedding anniversary and of all days, I come into work today and the peace lily that is from Cooper's funeral is in full bloom. I wonder if this is a sign that Cooper is at peace and of all days, on his parent's anniversary. I will give you all a little background on the plant scoop.

Suz (now remember, I love my sister very much...so this is total truth) never used to cook, and certainly was not very good at allowing plants to live. In her words, and I quote "I don't do lawn work, flowers, and certainly not flower gardens". She is now cooking more but has not started on the plant thing yet. When Cooper passed away, there were all kinds of plants left over from the funeral and I love plants so I kept them all. Enjoy the pictures below.

Happy Anniversary to Suz & Ron! Love you guys!

Happy Wednesday!

Random Things...

I would like to ask that everyone who reads this go to my sister's blog (coopersmomma.blogspot.com) on Wednesday and wish her and her hubby a Happy Anniversary. They have been through so much the last year and a half and could really use the encouraging words and/or prayers that you wish to send.

To my friend K, I know that our conversation the other day was not the one that you wanted to have. I understand that it put you into a place that you did not want to be. That is what friends are for. Friends are here for the good, the bad, and the ugly. I hope that you know how much I value our friendship and I am here for you no matter whether it is good, bad or ugly. I miss you and am very happy that things are working out for you.

Zman is off of school for a week or so and he is so excited that he does not have to get up early for a while. I assured him that there would be chores to do while he is home. He is hoping that the Easter Bunny brings him something to do this year instead of candy. I am definitely up for that, no candy is alright by me. My hubby is on a strict diet as he prepares for gastric bypass surgery so I am sure that he will enjoy there not being any candy in the house for the Easter holiday as well.

Have an enjoyable week and Happy Easter holiday to all.

Friends

I have to start the work week tomorrow without a friend of mine. She worked with me for six months and has become a great friend but she has decided to accept another position. I will miss our down to earth talks throughout the day. Lately, she has been the only person who truly understands where I have been, where I am at, and where I am going.

I am praying that all goes well for her and I wish her the best of luck. Truthfully, I wish she was not leaving but a true friend would wish well for her even though it meant that I would miss her terribly. I know she is reading this and as corny as it may seem, it seems as though I have lost another "sister". She has not gotten rid of me that easily, she is only a couple of miles away from her and I have already had to give in an call her because...well just because.

Good luck tomorrow K, I will miss you but wish you well. You have a smile that is contagious and an attitude that allow you to shine no matter where you are. Love you like the big sister that I never had! Thank you for being such a great friend.

A day of rest...

Today is Sunday and I would like to know what happened to Sunday being a day of rest?

This is a list of things that I accomplished today...as I am sure you will agree, I need to go back to work to get a little rest.

8:30 am -start laundry
9:00 am -clean up basement
9:30 am -switch laundry, fold the clean laundry, and clean up the dryer sheets that I swear come out of no where
10:00 am -decide what to have for dinner and take it out of the freezer to thaw, start cleaning up the kitchen, clean the bathroom, tidy of the computer room, and sweep the hallway
10:30 am -switch the laundry again
11:00 am -start a grocery list and try to get Zman motivated to get a shower without telling him that he is going to head out to get a haircut...he will be thrilled
11:30 am -switch the laundry...do you see a pattern here? Talked to my dad on the phone for about 45 minutes and then decided that I needed to get my butt in gear if I was going to finish all the chores on my list
12:30 pm -get Zman to get a shower, he knows about the haircut thing now and he is not happy. He has decided at 12 years (almost 13 years old) that he can say when he will be ready for a haircut. I must remind him that until he is 18 years old I have control over every aspect of his life and he might as well get over it because no matter how stubborn he can be, he is a product of me and I am much more stubborn than he is.
1:00 pm - switch the laundry again and then I realize that Zman is finally in the shower so I started the washer on hot water and gave him a dose of cold water showers to cool off his preteen attitude that he has going on.
1:30 pm -head to Famous Hair with guns blazing and one pissed off preteen and now one pissed off Mom (me) because the woman that works there has the nerve to say to me in front of a full store "Wow Kelly, you really need to do something with your hair, do you want me to write down your name too?" Got to love the people that can not appreciate someone who has been working her butt off all day.
2:00 pm -head to Walmart to pick up some groceries again with a pissed off preteen because he did not want to go shopping, and then even more pissed off because I would not let him dictate what was going into the cart and I would not let him get this huge Nerf gun that was seriously $70.00 because I owe him for making him get a haircut. He so needs to work on his negotiating skills.
3:00 pm -went to work, printed some reports, read some nasty emails from my supervisors, dropped off my work groceries, and cleaned up my desk so that I can start fresh tomorrow with a clean desktop.

It is now 5:30 pm and the laundry is done, dinner smells great, and I have a somewhat clean house. I am satisfied and can now relax until tomorrow when I have to enter the hectic world of work.

Have a great evening!

Family?!?!?!

Family...

What does that word really mean? I was raised to know that family means everything and that doing things for your family is top priority. Nowadays, it seems to me that there are family members that just don't believe that as much as they did. Don't get me wrong, I know that people change and so do their circumstances but come on what is wrong with these people? I have been thinking a lot about this maybe I am expecting too much of people, I don't know.

It saddens me to know that my family does not share in the values that they instilled in me as a child. I am thankful everyday for my family however it is becoming increasingly hard to forgive or forget. I am not a super religious person, I believe in God and all of his powers and I pray to God everyday that he will lead me in the right direction with this struggle that I am facing.

Lake Erie

We ventured out today to see the ice dunes and we happened to catch a spectacular sunset while we were there. Lake Erie is known for the beautiful sunsets and the pictures below will prove that. Enjoy!

The ice dunes were very impressive. We noticed that the dunes were very thin and very dangerous. Zman wanted to walk on them but my motherly instincts said no way! Just as we were walking away, there was a man and a woman that were standing on one of the dunes and they actually fell through the first layer of the dune. I am sure that it was very scary for them. There is a reason that they post signs all over the place that warn people about going out onto the dunes and the ice.

Ouch...that hurt!

Well the economic slow down has finally hit the company in which I work for. They have reduced our hours which in turn means that my pay will be reduced as well. I am exploring ideas and options to supplementing my income. I like to cook...should I get a job in the catering industry? I am a people person...should I get a job in customer service or retail?

Really, I am just venting...I figured that after being with the company for over 5 years that I would not have to face this. I am sure that there are a lot more people that have totally lost their jobs and I am glad that this is not the case. I am only blogging this because I do not want to take out my anger or frustrations on my hubby or Zman not to have people feel sorry for me.

Happy Thursday!

Tempermental Tuesday!

I have been wanting to update my blog but not sure what to blog about. I have a lot to talk about but not sure how to put it all into words and get it on here so it is understandable. It is less than 20 days until I get to see Suz again. I am excited to see Ron since I did not get to see him when he came home. Most people don't get too excited to see the in laws, I on the other hand love my brother in law. He has made my sister very happy, served our country, and given me one of the most beautiful nephews that anyone could ask for, brought two wonderful children into my life that I am proud to have as a niece and a nephew, and for that I am eternally grateful to him.

I am working on a menu for when they are home. I want to give them all the things to eat that they love. We are going to fry a turkey and I am thinking that we can cook a ham as well that weekend. Suz will love the mashed potatoes and ham gravy. I will even bet that she will start to salivate when reading this. I am so looking forward to this visit...can you tell?

I also wanted to comment on the various blogs that I have been reading and I must say that each and every one of them is so special in their own way. I do not usually comment on too many of them because I feel like just because I am reading them does not mean that I need to comment. I feel like I do not have the "right" to comment on some of them because I have not lost a child, spouse, or someone of that nature but the more I think about it I have lost a child, just not mine. My heart aches for those that have lost children. I do not know what that feeling is like and I thank God every day that my son is healthy and here on earth with me. But I do know the pain of losing a child as I have stated before, I have two angel nephews up in Heaven with God. I know that they are up there with my other relatives and they are watching over us. So if I comment on your blog, you are right, I don't know what you are going through but I have a heart and it does ache for you and the pain in which you are going through.

Well enough babbling for now. Have a great evening! Off to bowling I go! :)

Cady & Mazy

I would like to introduce you to (in case you have not already met either of them) my two babies. Cady is our loveable Jack Russell Terrier, she is 2 1/2 years old and thinks that she is the size of a Rotweiller or something of that size. She is actually about 17 pounds and is the protector of the house.

And this little cutie is Mazy. Mazy is our almost 6 month old Miniature Daschaund. She is Cady's shadow as well as her echo. Whenever Cady barks, Mazy tends to repeat the bark. It is almost like a monkey see monkey do thing with these two. They are wonderful, I would have more puppies if the hubby would let me. Mazy is very friendly, she loves to pounce on her sister and love on her Mommy and Daddy.

Aren't they adorable???

Things...just things

I am just sitting here thinking about all of the things around me that have changed. Changed in a way that make you wonder what in the world is going on around me. My job is stable but one of the major companies that is our major customer is laying people off. Things have not slowed down for us but it is in the near future as far as I can see. I am worried that this could affect my job. I feel like it is necessary to save every bit of money that we have so that if something does happen that we will be okay. But who am I kidding, we would not be okay. We would be going from two incomes to one and I know there is unemployment but it is not much compared to my salary.

I am tossing around the idea of getting a second job. We have several convenience stores that I could get a part time job at. I have come to the conclusion that this is what happens when one gets too comfortable with their life and the things around them. I guess I am just a worry wort but this blog is just what I need to get things off of my chest.

Have a nice day!

New Layout

As I am sure you can tell, I changed my layout. I love frogs and this was the only one that I could find but this one is for little boys. I guess that since I have a son that this one is appropriate yet cute enough for my blog. I don't really have much to post today I just wanted to update my blog and wish everyone a wonderful Tuesday!

Have a great day!

Update...Two Left Feet!

Just to let everyone know...

The two right shoes were not at Sears when I went to return the second pair that I bought. I wore them for one day and they hurt my feet so bad that I could barely walk after taking them off. The old bitty at the register asked me what was wrong and I told her that I wore them for one day and they hurt my feet really bad. You thought the last one was funny...wait until you see the dialogue of this one.

Me: I need to return these because they hurt my feet.

Bitty: When did you buy them?

Me: The day before yesterday.

Bitty: Did you try them on before you bought them?

Me: Yes, but they did not hurt until I wore them all day.

Bitty: They look like they have been worn for weeks.

Me: Seriously, are we really having this conversation? Look lady, I bought a pair of shoes three days ago only to find out that it contained two right shoes. Now I am standing here telling you that the new style of shoes that I got hurt my feet. Is there a problem returning these or do I need to talk to a manager?

Bitty: Give me a penny and I will give you $46.00 back.


On a bright note to everyone reading this. I went to Sam's Club this weekend and got the same style of shoes that I had two right feet of and bought TWO (yes, two pairs) pairs of them for $24.00 each. I am on cloud nine...or one could say that I am gellin. :)

Happy Thursday!!

I am feeling good!

Today is a good day. It is Thursday, one more day in the work week to go. I am spending the entire weekend cleaning, I can not wait to have a sparkling clean house. Yeah!!

We are having special treats tomorrow at work to help celebrate Valentine's Day. I know it may sound a bit corny but when you work in a warehouse full of men, they tend to appreciate the gesture and in turn are more than willing to help you out when needed. Pretty much it is a win/win situation. In honor of Valentine's Day, tomorrow is going to be a day of treats...the three of us are making sweet treats to bring in. I guess I am going to have to hit the gym hard next week. If I walk to the gym, workout, and then walk home I may burn off the calories that I am going to consume tomorrow...let's face it, I am driving to the gym...I am not fooling anyone!

I got good news the other day that Suz and Ron will be coming home next month for a short visit. They have some business to take care of in Ohio and then onto PA. I have even offered to drive to Ohio just so I can see them. I am hoping that they would be able to bring the kids up with them as I have not seen them since right before Halloween and I miss them. I can not wait to see all of them. This Texas/PA thing is going to kill me!!!

I am planning a special Valentine's Day dinner for my hubby and Zman. I am hoping to cook crab legs for them as they both love them. I am going to make some brownies and cut them out in heart shapes, frost them, and decorate them. I am sure that they will love both the crab legs and the brownies. We are making Valentine's Day cards for each other this year, I am trying to justify the amount of money that we spent on the Cricut machine. It seems to be working because even my husband likes using it to make things for me. I find it seems to mean so much more when the gift and card are homemade.

I hope everyone has a great weekend and a wonderful Valentine's Day (should you choose to celebrate).

Two Left Feet?!?!?

I believe that after this weekend I should rename my blog from "Life's Twist & Turns" to "You Are Not Going To Believe This". Correct me if I am wrong but I believe the saying when you can not dance is that you have two left feet. In an effort to make my life a little more comfortable I decided that I was going to buy myself a new pair of sneakers. I wanted to go with something different than I am used to buying but who am I kidding. I am 36 years old, I am not getting any younger and let's face it...I am going for comfort and the ones that I normally wear are comfortable. There is no breaking in period, I can put them on and away I go...no problem.

On Sunday this was no different. I walked into Sears, looked at the shoes and was pleasantly surprised to see that the shoes that I normally wear had been improved and were on sale. Woohoo! My usual $45 sneakers were on sale for $29. The bonus feature on these were the fact that I was getting a newer version with a little more comfort than I am used to. I was living the high life, I tried one of them on and marched my butt to the cash register to pay and get the heck out of there before I decided to buy anything else. Some would say that I have a major shoe obsession.

I awoke this morning, sprang out of bed in preparation for my first day with my new shoes. I rushed to take all of the paper that is normally stuck clear up in the toes beyond where most normal sized fingers are not able to reach out and fixed the laces so that I could tie them without having one lace longer than the other (another pet peeve of mine...noticing a trend here?). I hurried to get dressed and ran out into the kitchen to put on my shoes when I noticed something very, very wrong. I had two right shoes. Two right shoes? Somewhere in this horrible metropolis of Erie, someone has two left shoes and did not notice.
After the Hubby's doctor appointment today, we went to the mall to exchange the shoes. Here is how the conversation with the cashier went.

Me: I bought these shoes yesterday and I realized this morning that I have two right shoes.

Cashier: Let me get someone from shoes to help you.
**Shoe cashier comes over and asks me what the problem is, so I go through the issue at hand again.

Shoe Cashier: Let me check to see if I can find the left shoes for you. Do these fit?

Me: Oh they fit, I just can not wear two shoes on the same foot at the same time.

Shoe Cashier: Is there anything else wrong with them?

Me: Is that not enough?

Shoe Cashier: Would you like to return them or would you like us to order you a left shoe?

Me: Are you serious?

Shoe Cashier: Yes, if you want you could hold onto these and if they are available online we could order you another pair.

Me: But what would I do with the two right shoes?

Shoe Cashier: You could return them once you got the ones from online.

Me: What would I do with two right shoes in the meantime?

Shoe Cashier: You could return them and we will refund your money.

Me: Why don't I just return these ones, you give me my money back, and I get a different pair of shoes.

Shoe Cashier: We can do that, do you have your receipt?

What she does next absolutely baffled me. She makes out a slip, sticks it into the register and prints something on it, and then gives me my refund. I look down at the slip that she printed out on the register and it said and I quote.

"Clearance $9.99-Reason: Two right shoes"

Yep that is correct, they are going to try to sell these shoes again as two right shoes. Unfreaking believable!!I sure hope the person who has two left shoes is going to see this. Hopefully they will take advantage of the great deal that Sears is offering on two right shoes. I on the other hand am taking advantage of trying a new shoe and yes, I made sure that this box contained both a left and a right shoe which were not only the same style but the same size.

I am going to enlist the help of a hidden video camera to catch the not so "common" sense that people have these days. Perhaps with the help of some television producers I may be onto something here.

Happy Monday!!!

We...Wii???

Yep, that is correct...we bought a Wii. I can not wait to try it out. We (I love the fact that we and Wii are used so many times) got it home and were very eager to get it out of the box and start Wii-ing (LOL...way too funny!) only to find out that we need to charge the controllers. UGH! Maybe tomorrow night we can Wii.

Wish us luck!

Remembering

As I sit here and think about Suz and how much I wish there was something I could do to help her I can not help but think about my Grandpa Vic, Grandma Norma, and my nephews. I miss them all so much.

My Grandpa Vic was such a caring man. He would always put a smile on his face when his grand kids would walk through his door. He would always have time for the kids. You could tell by the look on his face that he truly loved his family. As I sit here today I know that his looking down on all of us and he is proud of each and every one of us. His one true wish was for all of his children to get along so that every one could be together and be happy. Well I am sorry to say that he did not get his wish but I hope that he is at peace knowing that there is not a day that goes by when I don't think of him and the wonderful memories that I have of him.

My Grandma Norma, well I can not even put into words what a wonderful woman she was. She was such a vibrant and caring person. I can not think of a more caring person. My Grandma would give her last dime, the shirt on her back, and the last breathe she had for someone if they needed it...no questions asked. I am in many ways like my Grandma. I love to cook, care for my family, and help anyone that may need it. She definitely made her mark on this world. She has touched so many lives and when I am gone I want people to remember me the way they remember my Grandma. I love you Grandma...until we meet again, please continue to watch over me and guide me.

My nephew Tommy...well at only a little over two months old you not only left your mark on the people who loved you, you changed so many lives in the process. I wish you were here. I can not help but wonder what you would look like. How tall you would be, would you like sports, would you annoy your sister, or would you be your Dad's sidekick...these are all the things that I think about daily. I say a prayer each day that you watch over your Daddy and sister, help to guide them through each day, and send your angel kisses our way. I love you Tommy!

Precious Cooper, you were not only a dream come true for your Mommy and Daddy but a gift from God that was taken from us by those who were enlisted to bring you into this world without fail. I know that you are with Tommy, Grandma Norma, and Grandpa Vic...I am sure that Grandpa is bouncing you on his knee, Grandma is making you cookies, and Tommy is showing you the ropes of being a little boy. Please keep watching over your Mommy and Daddy. If you could do everyone a favor I would appreciate it. I want you to whisper in God's ear and let him know just how much a brother or a sister would make your Mommy and Daddy happy. Please let him know that they deserve to have that joy and happiness in their life.

Okay...I am sure that someone reading this may think that I have fallen off of my rocker but isn't that what these blogs are all about? Aren't we supposed to be able to write out feelings and thoughts without prejudice? This is what I am and this is what this blog is about...me and my life.

I have been tagged

I have been tagged and I can actually do this one. Thank you Suz! The rules are simple, state 7 facts about yourself and tag some of your friends.

Here goes nothing!

1. I love to cook and bake.

2. I have never lost my husband or a baby but I have lost my Grandmother (Norma), Grandfather (Vic), and nephews Tommy (1999) and Cooper (2008). I miss them all terribly.

3. Before I was born, my parents could not decide on a name for both a boy and a girl so they decided that I was going to be Kelly whether I was male or female. So no originality here!

4. I have major OCD issues...I must be in control at all times or I can tend to flip out.

5. I am finding as I get older I tend to open my mouth and let my feelings out and this can cause some problems so I am trying to be careful.

6. I like my job...the job that I do every day that is...not necessarily where I do the job.

7. I bite my nails. I can stop and let them grow but end up biting them after a little while then I have to start all over again.

Okay, so now it is my turn to tag someone.

Kristy at http://babybolte.blogspot.com
Ginger at http://thepittsburghhites.blogspot.com
Katie at http://ckbykm.blogspot.com
Jen at http://taleoftwocoins.blogspot.com

Happy Friday...
Have a great weekend!

Snow, Snow, and more Snow!

Yes, that is correct...we officially have more snow than I can stand. I went home after work yesterday and decided to run the snow blower before my husband got home. I opened his garage door (yes, we have two garages...that means, one is his and one is mine) and the snow was deeper than the height of the snow blower. Picture this...I am working to try to push the snow blower through 23 inches of snow that has accumulated and blown into the driveway when I realize that my neighbor is also cleaning out his driveway. Luckily for me the wind was blowing in his direction...I know, I am an awful person. Well here is where it gets funny.

I soon realize that not only am I blowing snow into his yard (which with the wind is making it into his driveway) but I am about to be blasted in the face with all of the snow that I am blowing. I learned that living on a corner lot makes it very difficult to blow snow in any one particular direction. My glasses were fogging up so badly that I had to put them on the workbench in the garage. I was continuing on my adventure without my glasses, I can see without my glasses but in this case would have proved to be a buffer between my eyes and the snow that was hitting me in the face. At one point in time I realized that I had shut my eyes to protect them from the snow...and they were frozen closed. I had to stick my head into my coat collar and breathe until my eyes were thawed out.

I seriously looked like the abominable snowman, my hair, boots, and now my coat were full of snow. Time to call the plow truck!

Here is my new credit card commercial...

Dinner because you were out for an hour and a half "trying" to clear the driveway and now don't have time to cook dinner...$25.00

Plow Truck, because the snow won...$40.00

Having my 12 year old take a picture of me because he thought it was funny to see his mom covered in snow with her eyes frozen shut...PRICELESS!

One a side note...he was made to shovel the porch off...you know what they say about paybacks! :)

Just Monday...

This is it...just Monday. I had a wonderful weekend of doing...well whatever I wanted. We went bowling, I did some scrapbooking, did laundry, and cleaned my bedroom. On Saturday, my brother, neice, Zman, and I went bowling with my Mom. Afterwards we went and had dinner, it was nice to spend some time with them.

Suz is doing well in Texas, she is putting the finishing touches on her "new" house. She has sent me a few pictures and I must say that it is coming along quite well. I must add that I still miss her very much and wish that she was closer but in time she may be. In the meantime I am keeping my fingers crossed.

My hubby treated me to Red Lobster on Friday night...yummy! I am addicted to shrimp and the cheddar biscuits have to be the closest thing to pure bliss. Thank you to my wonderful hubby for giving me the night off. I love you very much!

Well that is it for now...have a great Monday!

Fantastic Friday

Today is a good day (I have not been able to say that I am having a good day in quite some time). I am excited about having two days to spend with Zman and my hubby. I am going to do some scrapbooking, clean up the house, laundry, and just relaxing.

It has been some time since I have had the entire weekend to do what I need to do. I have spent the last 5 months working enormous amounts of over time and wearing myself down to the point of exhaustion. I am now working my normal hours and with the great friends that I have at work I am learning to love my job all over again.

Have a great weekend!

Suz & Ron Update...

Just wanted to let everyone know that Ron is back safe and sound. I am sure they are enjoying their time together as well as learning to live together again. I wish them the best of luck and want them both to know just how much I love them.

So Welcome Home Ron! We missed you and glad that you are safely back in your wife's arms.

We will talk to you soon!

Back in PA....brr!

Well we are back in Pennsylvania (since Saturday night that is), I was exhausted and blogging was not at the top of my "to do" list. So I jumped head first into cleaning my house, rearranging furniture (we moved everything around when Suz moved in with us), throwing away old stuff that was cluttering up my space, and putting clothes away (thanks to my hubby...he is my laundry God!).

Cleaning and rearranging was very bittersweet for me. I was able to move stuff around and I realized that I moved it around because Suz was gone. I put clothes away in my dresser (that Suz was using and now is back in my room) and right smack dab in the middle of doing this I burst out in tears because she is not there anymore. I know that she is only a phone call away but we have been through so much in the last 15 months that this is killing me. She is my best friend, I can tell her anything, she knows me and knows what I need, we finish each other's sentences, and most of all honestly we read each other's minds. It may sound crazy but she knows what I mean. If I could pack up Zman and the hubby today we would be gone...

So now back to reality, back to work, and back to the crap that I left here in Pennsylvania. I have a couple of great friends here and honestly I missed them very much. As for the rest of the stuff, well I did not miss it. I have made a vow to do a few things the rest of this year and I am not only determined but hell bent if I must say.

1. I am going to lose weight, get back into shape (even though round is a shape...lol), spend more time with Zman and the hubby, and enjoy life to the fullest.
2. I am going to write a cookbook. This has always been a dream of mine and now I am going to do it. No more talking...this is all action baby!
3. I am going to stress less and enjoy friends and family (well most of it anyway) more.
4. I am going to work on not being so OCD...those of you who know me know that I have a problem with this.

Wish me luck. I know that some of you will not let me stray...and I thank you for that.
Hugs!

Texas

We are here and the weather is gorgeous. I am really sorry that all of my friends and family are freezing up there in Pennsylvania...really I feel a little bad for them. :) We have been joking around that the only white thing on the ground down here is the Walmart bag that keeps floating around. This morning my Dad was talking to my Grandma and he told her that it snowed here last night, then he said that there were two Walmart bags instead of one. I know that sounds pretty corny and I am probably just delirious after spending 22 1/2 hours in a car but I thought it was pretty funny.

Suz has already headed to the base so that she can get her car registered and then we are off to experience IHOP. Zman has never been there and it has been a really long time since I was there. I started the SpecialK diet for part of my new year's resolution...I am sure that I will hit the gym here in the hotel at some point today so IHOP is not out of the question.

We are off to see some sights, Zman is so excited. He is becoming such a little man...my baby is getting so big. It won't be long and he will be taller than me and anyone who knows me knows that being taller than me does not take much but he is short like me and that is a big thing for him.

Happy Monday and here is to my first day of a real vacation. *Cheers* More from Texas later today. To all my friends in Pennsylvania...miss you guys (H and K).

Prayers Please...Happy Thursday!

I would like to ask that all of you that are reading this say a prayer for Suz and I. We will be leaving Saturday morning to head to Texas. I am a little nervous about the fact that we have to move furniture and all that crazy stuff that is associated with the moving of military.

Zman is so excited about the trip, we will wait and see how excited he is after he realizes just how far 1450 miles is. He is a trooper though, he will be just fine...he always is. He is not so happy about having to take all of his homework with us. I am sure he will get over it though. I tell him that if he does all of his homework on the way down then he will have the whole way home to relax and spend some quality time with Mom. He was so excited...well not really but I like to think that he was.

Suz, if you are reading this I want you to know that I will make sure that I go up and visit Cooper. I will make sure that his stone is clean, he has flowers whenever possible, and that he will have leaves to play with next fall. :) I will take good care of him while you are gone, just as I would if he were here on earth with us today. I love you and I can not wait to make this trip with you and help you prepare to start a new life with your hubby...and hopefully more nieces and nephews for me.

So as I said in the first paragraph, say a few prayers for us so that our journey to Texas is a safe one and that all goes well with the move. We appreciate any extra prayers that may come our way.

Happy Thursday!
Kelly

Happy Birthday Cooper!!

Happy Birthday Cooper!
Oh how everyone misses you. It is amazing the impression that you left on so many people. Your Mommy and Daddy wanted to have you so badly and now that you are not here on earth with them they miss you terribly. We all know that you are up in Heaven with God, Grandma T, Tommy, and Grandpa D. We know that you are watching over us and you are keeping your Daddy safe.

Please continue to watch over all of us as you will always be our Little Angel. We are praying for your Mommy and Daddy so that they will continue to be strong. We love you and miss you so much.

I will be up to visit you today, enjoy your birthday and know that we all will celebrate your life today.

Love,
Aunt Kelly

Tagged

I have been tagged. I must be totally clueless because I did not understand what I was supposed to do. So I did not take care of the tagging nor did I tag anyone else. I am sorry...maybe next time! :)

The countdown continues...

Well it has come to the time where I must accept the fact that in four short days I will be headed to Texas with my sister. I will be helping her get moved into a new home and set everything up so that when her hubby returns from the sand box that all they will need to worry about is being the happy couple that they are.

I have had my sister her with me for the last 14 months or so. She is my best friend (besides our husbands, we say that we are each other's best friend). We can finish each other's thoughts and sentences. We have been through a lot in our lives and especially within this last year. I will miss her terribly but I know that her and her hubby need time together. They need their time to grieve for their precious son. They need time to be a couple and hopefully by this time next year I will be an Aunt again. No pressure Suz!!!

Well not only am I going to be off of work and away from my normal life but I get the opportunity to spend the drive to and from Texas with the Zman. I am looking forward to it, even though he may talk a lot (he takes after his Mom!). He is going to be 13 soon and there are times when I feel like I am lucky that he has not got to the "I can not speak to my parents" stage. I also pray that I have raised him well enough to know that he will never feel that way. I want him to know that he can talk to me about anything and without much :) judgement. I am his mother after all, I am allowed to judge a little.

It is hard to believe that my baby is going to be 13. I don't really feel old, I feel more like an adult. I have been an adult for many years but never felt like I was an actual adult. In the last 10 years I have lost many friends, two nephews, relatives, and matured beyond my wildest dreams. I love my family dearly and would do anything to help anyone. One thing that I do not like is the games that people play. I have far too much going on in my world to play any games. I am choosing to focus my energy on Zman, hubby, true family, and close friends.

I know this is a lot of rambling but isn't that what this site is about? I can ramble and you can stop reading whenever you choose.

Happy Monday!
Kelly

Welcome Back...Goodbye 2008!

I am back! Things have finally settled down at work and there is some sort of normalcy that one should be privileged to every now and then. I am no longer working the crazy hours that I have been in the past. I never realized how much I was stressed out or what path I was headed on until some good friends of mine suggested that I need to talk to someone. Well, after talking more to these friends (and family...thanks Suzie) I decided to go to the doctor and explain what I was experiencing. I have been diagnosed with severe anxiety and depression. I honestly would never have reached out to my doctor without the help of my friends. Without them I am not so sure that I would be able to sit here at type out my feelings the way I am today.

I never realized until today that I would miss expressing my feelings or sharing a recipe that I love. I like being able to express myself without judgement. Those of you who know me know that I have a bit of a obsessive/compulsive disorder along with control issues. I know that those who do know me are laughing right now. My life has taken so many twists and turns throughout the years that I find myself needing to sort out those feelings and express them so that I can make room for the positive thoughts and energy that I have resolved to find.

My New Years Resolutions are quite different this year. Yes I want to get back into shape and be more active but most of all I would like to renew my faith in the Lord, continue to build my relationship with my loving husband, raise my son (Zman) to be the best that he can be, and of course the most obvious of all...lose the weight (both physically and emotionally) that I have been carrying all these years.

I invite you to read through this journey with me and feel free to share any words of encouragement that you have to offer as well as any stories of similar situations that you may have.

Thank you,
Kelly