I feel the earth move under my feet......

We had an earthquake this morning. The epi-center was 25 miles south of where we live. Looks like the earth is ready to kick off the new yr as well.

Have you ever really been lost on the net?

About a month ago my computer crashed at work...I've felt a little "net" lost ever since. I lost all my blogs that I follow, all my email addresses, the list could go on and on. I've stumbled across some of the ones I had saved but for the most part I've lost them. Ugh! It was like 5 yrs worth of blogs, websites, etc. SO apparently I need to make a list offline to stop this from happening again. Do you use a system for saving all of this stuff either online somewhere or just a list offline in general. If so let me know what it is. I'd love to know!

Whew!

Wow...what a weekend. I'm in the midst of recovering from a long Christmas weekend. What a great weekend it was....but I ask...Why in the world do all toys have to be securely fastened to the boxes they come in by 1400 little twistie ties, clamps, etc etc. I mean really....I know they are worried about people stealing stuff out of the boxes but come on....the excitement is gone by the time the toy actually gets out of the box. Not to mention how many times I'm going to have to stop sweeping in order to pluck yet another clear twistie tie out of my sweeper. Maybe they will all be picked up by I don't know....next Christmas. They lurk in corners until you put your sweeper away and then BAM! I find more or should I say my sweeper finds more.

Now the thoughts linger on when I'm taking the Christmas stuff down...I'm sad about doing so. Once everything is packed away things go back to normal. Which isn't bad of course, but the "excitement" of the holidays is gone.

So now it's time to focus on the new yr and all the many resolutions that we will all break by the 2nd of January. Remember last week I said I'm just making goals...no resolutions. My list is already piling up with ideas. Getting into better shape, cooking healthier meals, having more patience with my kids, taking more time for myself....oh the list goes on and on. What's on your list for next yr?

4 days.

WOW....Are you finished shopping? Do you have everything wrapped? Gifts sent to places they need to be? What about your holiday cooking and baking? I'm not sure about everyone else but time for me is getting away from me. I need about 10 more hours in the day. Tonight is chex mix and icing Christmas cookies and hopefully finishing Christmas cards and wrapping a few more things that I just "happened" to find. Breathe Rhonda, you must breathe. And really I'm not sure why I feel so scattered b/c this yr I'm actually ahead of the game...last yr I started wrapping on Christmas Eve and was up til 2. When I was little I can remember my parents wrapping until the wee hours it seemed. But this yr I've done better...but I really need to finish it up. I cringe when I go into my bedroom b/c I really have stuff everywhere. I'm not kidding it really looks like a tornado went through my bedroom. Laundry needs done and put away...oh I could list a million things "to do" but as we learned in church this past Sunday we need let it go. All those things we feel that MUST BE DONE can wait. You need to sit back and think about the real reason for the season.

Happy wrapping. :)

Are you done shopping?!

So how many more days til Christmas? I always start out awesome in my gift buying, but every yr I hit rock bottom with hurrying around at Christmas for last minute stuff. I have enough gifts for my daughter to cover her next 4 christmas' and birthdays. My son not so much. As much as I think I'm ahead of the game with him I'm not. My house is a total train wreck right now trying to get things around to send to family out west, trying to get things wrapped around here. And trying to get my kids energy levels controlled b/c though they still have school til Friday they have already checked out for Christmas break. Not to mention fitting in speech, dance, and working around my husband's coaching job which makes him gone 5 nights a week and some saturdays. Did I mention it's all volunteer. I love that he enjoys it but it'd be nice to get something in return when he puts that much time and effort into it.

Each yr I swear I'll do better next yr. I'll be more with it. But then Thanksgiving hits and it is all down hill from there. So what are your tips? How do you get organized every yr for the holiday season?

It's Christmas Time

Again where has time gone. It seems as though I just wrote the blog on harvest season! I honestly can't tell you when I've had an hour to myself with nothing to do. It seems about the time I think my schedule is going to slow down it just piles right back on.

I've already started my New Yr's Resolutions...is that bad? That I can already think of things that I was bad at this yr and want to do better next yr.

And again one promise I've made my self is to be a better blogger...hmmmmmm can that actually happen. I always say I'm going to write then nothing. EEK! Let's just see......

Harvest is here!

Wow...harvest season is upon us...normally by now I've caught the kids in a picture riding with their Dad in some form of farm equipment. Usually the combine...for my 7 yr old it's becoming the only thing exciting to him anymore. Now my daughter will go in ANYTHING with wheels...heck if we had horses hooked to something she would ride. She wouldn't care one bit. I think it's her age. So anyways...a pic is to come. One of these nights I'll get one. Promise.

Right now we are mid-season in soccer...Boy it's been a change for Gracie this season. She spent spring soccer on my lap and crying this fall season she LOVES it. . Grant is all over it. He is a pretty awesome soccer player...maybe the next David Beckham?! If his Dad has anything to do with it he'll be playing for the Cubs one day. Here are the kids last weekend during picture day...How cute are they?!



Besides soccer we do dance as well for Gracie....And boy oh boy is she into it this yr. Last yr we were hesitant...this year..WATCH OUT. She is all over it.



What's exciting in my life....I've been canning my little heart away this summer/fall with pasta sauce, salsa, pears, and hopefully sometime soon apples. No pictures of that...maybe one of my shelves once I get everything put away. I know I know...the excitement for me is crazy. :)

Summer's Over.

Whew! Hard to believe summer is over already. Our summer was spent at the ball diamond. Our son was asked to play on the All Star team so we spent all of July traveling on the weekends. Boy was I glad to see that season wrap up!

Now they have been in school almost 3 weeks already. I've been busy canning, we are getting in the fields shortly for harvest, and soccer season is upon us. Oh did I mention dance. YIKES!

Trying to get organized...yeah I still feel like I live in a three ring circus.

Can you guess where I'm going tonight?! We leave in just a few hours for a girls night! Can.Not.Wait

The Month of May....

I hate it but kinda sorta have love for it. There are reasons to celebrate but also it was a time of sadness for me as well. On May 13th, 2007...Mother's Day that year...I lost my Mom. So I have a HUGE reason to hate the month of May. But on May 22, 1977 I was born so there is reason to celebrate. I try to find a happy medium in the month of May. But some days it's hard. My children keep me busy right now that I don't have much downtime which is nice. Mother's day isn't something I celebrate these days. I realize I'm a mother and that my children need to celebrate that with me but I quickly go back three years ago and remember waking up to my husband telling me I needed to call my Dad. It was like a light switch...I knew what had happened if I needed to call my Dad on Mother's Day. I can remember that day like it was yesterday. A little over a week later it was my birthday...I could have skipped it that yr but my sister planned something for me b/c she knew my mom would have and she wasn't about to let me miss out.

So this May I'm hoping it's different. I'm letting my kids have control of my Mother's Day. I might be eating peanut butter and jelly...or doing puzzles all day but in my house we are going to celebrate Kid's Day. I'll never look at Mother's Day the same...I was supposed to be celebrating my mother but instead was grieving the loss of.

So happy May. And to all you mothers out there....well enjoy your day the best way you know how. And if your with your mother this Mother's Day give her an extra hug and kiss. You just never know when she won't be there to give that hug or kiss to.

Do you ever wish....

You could cram just a few more hours in the day or sign up for a personal assistant.


That really is how I've felt these last few weeks. For months now I've done Zumba 3 times a week for me. Then springtime hit us and with that comes sports, planting season, and always wanting to be outdoors. We are finishing up dance and starting up baseball for one soccer for another. We are still planting crops and then hubby has his love of golf. So busy is all we are right now.

I've got loads of pictures to put on here but when will I get that done..ummm not for awhile. Stories to tell..ya not happening either. Maybe someday soon.

I'm still hoping for a date with my husband that doesn't involve a banquet of any type. Just a nice night out for dinner and a movie.

28 hours in a day isn't bad isn't it?!

Vote for Luke!

Hey everyone! I'm a huge Luke Bryan fan so follow this link, watch the video, and vote!! He's an amazing artist!

http://www.lukebryan.com/index.php?page=vfhome&id=be2d2f4d2530019207fcf66934202bf2

Spring is upon us.

I'm sitting here looking at my office window admiring how gorgeous it looks and how I can't wait to get home to get outside. I'm hoping the cold spells are past us and spring will stick around. Last week I thought possibly we skipped spring and went straight to summer...but b.c the mid-west had such crazy weather it was freezing a few days later.

My son reminded me he only has 33 more days of school. YIKES! Really that is it til summer vacation...what am I going to do with them all summer long. :( Daycare, Y summer program, decisions decisions.

Welcome spring!

Surgery.

Not me this time...but my son. We have to be at the hospital tomorrow morning @ 7 so he can get his tonsils and adnoids out. Fun. My son isn't the greatest patient EVER...even with a minor cold you would think one of his limbs were missing. It's horrible. So think of us while I deal with a sickie for the next week and a half. That boy will get whatever he wants I'm telling ya. If Grant stays happy then mommy stays happy.

7 inches of snow.

is what we got yesterday. Making me totally forget to post. I'm sorry..so I'll make it up..I'll post yet another today.

They called school out early due to the snow fall. It snowed well into last night. Roads were pretty decent this morning. craziness. I'm ready for spring...but sadly I get the feeling it's going ot be a long hard winter. :( Boo!!

Robert Pattinson Fan....

Ok I know right now get all the teasing out of your system. I get alot of grief for thinking he is such a cutie. Really I could blame my niece for all of it. She got me started on this crazy Twilight Saga craze.

Vanity Fair recently did a photo shoot with him for their Dec '09 issue and I just had to share these. They truly show what a cutie he is. All of these slides are directly from the Vanity Fair website.

www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/features/2009/12/robert-pattinson-outtakes-A-200912#slide=1"


www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/features/2009/12/robert-pattinson-outtakes-C-200912#slide=1

www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/features/2009/12/robert-pattinson-outtakes-D-200912#slide=1

www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/features/2009/12/robert-pattinson-outtakes-E-200912#slide=1

I've tried setting these up as links but it won't let me...sorry. You'll have to cut and paste.

Look through these and come on admit it...there is a little bit of you that think he's a cutie.

The Bachelor-Jake

So how many of you watched it? I dvr'd it b/c I decided that cleaning my laundry room was more important at the time. But don't get me wrong...once 10 o'clock rolled around I was right there watching and folding laundry.

What were your opinions? Did you have any favorites? At first I liked Rozlyn but I'm not 100% sure she'll play fair. SO far I think my favorite is Tenley. By the looks of it there are plenty of surprises this season. One thing I was relieved about last night is that Jake didn't seem as "cheesy and goody goody."

One thing I'd like to request....the girls need to stop referring to themselves as his co-pilot. Drives.Me.Crazy.

Ugh.

Why is it when you think something sounds so good b/c you haven't had it in awhile you go ahead get it and then feel sick the minute you eat it. Today as I was driving through town Long John Silvers sounded good. So I stopped got a piece of fish, brought it back to work, ate, and now I feel totally gross. So I was debating the gym tonight but really it's a must now. That one piece makes me feel about 300 pounds heavier. Well at least I got the temptation out of my system that no longer sounds good. EVER.

So far I'm doing great on my meal planning...I did end up switching things around a bit...I fixed the Meatloaf last night instead of reheating the leftovers. I ended up being home so I wanted to actually fix something instead of doing leftover. Tonight we'll finish up the leftovers for the last two nights.

Monday Meal Planning...

So with the new year of course our schedule doesn't slow down. So these days I'm trying to make it to where I can reheat the leftovers. And when it's winter time I always try to have things ready for my husband to eat for lunch. He works outside at times in the winter so I'd hate for him to have cold meat sandwiches for lunch.

Monday-Leftover Roast and potatoes from Sunday's dinner...recipe from The Pioneer Woman Cooks cookbook I received for Christmas. Only difference is I put the roast and veggies in the crock pot instead of the own. I did make one change in the recipe...I added my potatoes instead of making mashed. Is there anything I'd do different next time...cut back to just one onion. It was two "onion-y" for my families tastes.

Tuesday- Meat Loaf and Mashed Potatoes

Wednesday- Macaroni and Cheese with hot dogs, PearSauce

Thursday- Sloopy Joes & French Fries

Friday-Pizza!! My son's 7th birthday is today so we'll be heading out with him and one of his friends!

I'm trying to eat more healthy in the new year so most nights I'll be eating a salad for dinner. :)

The first week of the year....

So today starts the first full week of the new year. Today for me is the day when I start getting things organized for the new year. It's almost like today starts the new year for me. Last year I did really well for awhile with my weekly meal plans so I've decided to try it again this year. Tonight I'll work on my meal plans and post later tonight for the week. I've already got a roast in the crock pot now! Meal planning is just one way to help me be more organized.

My son starts back to school tomorrow...so we'll get organized tonight about what is in store for the week. He swears he isn't ready to go back but I'm guessing once he gets settled in tomorrow he'll be excited for the new year. I know I'm not looking forward to getting up at 6:30. :( It's been nice sleeping in til 7:30.

Another goal of mine for the new year is simply trying to slow down. It seems like I'm always so scattered. I'm going to try and cut on things and try to enjoy like a little more. Spend more time doing nothing but hanging with my kids. That's really important...and also trying to get just "ME" time. Last year I did a few things for myself but honestly it just wasn't enough. I wanna get back to doing the things I love.

Gotta get back to putting Christmas stuff away. UGH!

A long day....

So I kept my promise to myself and went to the gym this morning. And man did it feel GREAT! It was crowded as ever though. Even had to skip the treadmill and use the wave machine b/c I the wait for the treadmills were crazy and I couldn't wait. SO hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to hit them.

Did any of you set resolutions? If so what were they?

Today is a day of packing of Christmas, meal planning, cleaning up toys, and organizing.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Everyone!!! And Welcome 2010!

So hard to believe that 2009 is here and gone but I'm looking forward to 2010. I've already got a few things planned that I never thought I'd be doing. But I'm excited about the outcome. Details to follow....

I wish all of you a wonderful New Year. I'm spending by first day of 2010 cleaning. Fun stuff huh?!

I was on Twitter last night and caught Brad Paisley's last Tweet of 2009. It was amazing I'd like to share.

"Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365 book, write a good one." So today my friends start writing your book and make it a good one!