It's what I do

Day 6 - What do you do?  That is a loaded question.  It might be shorter if I told you what I didn't do (sleep like a normal person...for example).  But, here goes...

On a typical Monday - Friday
I am an alarm clock for my family
I am the breakfast provider
I am the note signer and ATM for lunch money
I am the personal chauffeur to school
I am the laundry doer
I am the dish washer
I am the maid
I am the petsitter
I am the domino player for 2 77 year olds and an 89 year old
I am the listener to piano practice and voice lessons
I am the listener for cello practice
I am the chauffeur home or other after school activities
I am the head chef of dinner
I am the primary scheduler and appointment setter
I am the costumer designer for a local drama school
I am the chauffeur of daughter and friends to various activities
I am the finder of lost items
I am the primary purchaser of groceries and household items
I am the general overseer of projects
I am the homework helper
I am the bedtime enforcer
Most importantly: I am the very proud Mom of my 13 year old daughter and the proud wife of my extremely smart husband.

Other things I do:
I bake...A LOT
I take pictures...A LOT
I work out...ehhh, I don't like to do this one as much, but I do.
I am a friend who will help out if I can
I am a great listener
I am a lover of God and prayer

I love my crazy busy life.  We usually have something going on most evenings and weekends.  I wouldn't change it.  I am trying to live life to the fullest.

What do you do?  Join Story of My Life to see what others do.

Day 5 - Blogging love

I only started blogging 4 months ago.  I have been reading blogs for years without commenting and rarely keeping up with them once I finish reading the archives.  I read blogs like I read books.  I start at the very beginning (of when the blog started) and read until I am finished.  There are a few that I keep up with though.

Once I started my blog (mainly to write things I felt were too long and personal for Facebook, and to put a lot of my pictures up.  I then stumbled upon a wonderful challenge to blog everyday in March.  I signed up and learned how to do things on the fly.  I "met" some fantastic ladies that I am still talking with today.  A few of them joined the challenge as well.  I am going to highlight these ladies because I don't think I would continue blogging (sometimes I don't feel like what I have to say is important).

Paula - My state neighbor to the north.  I am so excited I found you through the March Challenge.  I have loved reading about your travels and I cheer when Richard has a good day(s).  You are constantly in my prayers and I admire you.

Trinity - Again, another March Challenge survivor.  I have so so so enjoyed reading about your sweet and sassy little family.  I always look forward to reading your posts.  You always have the sweetest things to say.  I think you are a wonderful mother and person.  I look forward to getting to know you better.

Cole - I love reading your blog.  We love the same things like thrift shopping, artsy crafty (I wish I could sketch or paint though), and photography.  I can't wait to hear about school adventures and new home crafts in the coming months.

Flora - I love hearing about your weight loss journey.  I also love getting to know your family and knowing that you lived in my area at one time.  Your food pictures on instagram make me hungry every time!

Kwizgiver and Boss Nurse.  I don't even know your first names, but I love reading your blogs.  Kwizgiver - I love reading your poetry.  I was never good at poetry and I am in awe of people who can write and interpret it.  I also love all your list things.  I am ready to dive into a few of those.  I adore lists.  Oh, and most important - you are a teacher and I thank you so much for giving so much of yourself to your students.  I feel teachers are far under appreciated.
Boss Nurse - You are another lister...man I really love lists.  I am currently reading through your archives and I am loving getting to know you.  I am really happy you have reconnected with your daughter.  I can't wait to hear more.

I have met a few new people with the current blog challenge.  I look forward to getting to know them more through this challenge.

Stop by Story of My Life to see what others are saying.

More Quotes

Back when I did the March Blog Challenge; I wrote a post about my favorite quotes.  They really haven't changed.  Here they are:

"You never know how strong you are...until being strong is the only choice you have." - Cayla Mills

"No matter how many mistakes you make or how slow your progress, you are still way ahead of everyone who isn't trying."

"Giving up doesn't always mean you're weak, sometimes it means you are strong enough and smart enough to let go and move on."

"Trying to be someone else is a waste of the person you are."

"Don't listen to what people say, watch what they do."

"When you have to start compromising yourself and your morals for the people around you; it's probably time to change the people around you."

"Be happy. Be yourself. If others don't like it, then let them be.  Happiness is a choice.  Life isn't about pleasing everybody."

"Stop beating yourself up.  You are a work in progress; which means you get there a little at a time, not all at once."

"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." - Walt Disney

"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." Eleanor Roosevelt

"You must do the things you think you cannot do." Eleanor Roosevelt

"I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." C.S. Lewis

"In the book of life, the answers aren't in the back." Charlie Brown

Here are just a few to add to that collection.

I pretty much love any quote by Disney! 

Check out other's quotes for the May Blog Everyday Challenge over at Story of my Life.

Things that make me uncomfortable

Day 3 of Blog everyday in May - Something that makes you feel uncomfortable.

This one is a hard post for me.  I have a very high comfort level, but some things really make me feel like I could disappear into the floor.

The first thing: Good couple friends who fight in front of me, in a car.  I didn't realize how uncomfortable this made me, until I was in that position.  I was ready to walk home (even if it were 10 miles away).  I still can't hear the Adele - Rolling in the Deep without thinking of this uncomfortable moment.

Next: People who treat service people like crap...especially if I am with them.  I get very embarrassed and uncomfortable when people treat waiters or cashiers like they are beneath them.  I usually overcompensate by tipping very well and being overly nice.

And: People who are mean to their children in public.  Not to be confused with discipline or consequences, but being berating and condescending to their children for the sole purpose of embarrassing them and making the parent feel like more of a human.

Lastly: Strangers that overshare about their <ahem> bedroom antics.  I am not a prude, but I believe some things should best be left unsaid to complete stranger...

Funny story though: Today my husband gave me a hug in the donut shop we go to every Friday.  The ladies know us very well.  We have been going every Friday for years.  One of the ladies said "Hey, you guys don't need to be hugging in here." (she was joking).  I laughed and said "well all the heat will help the donuts rise"  Everyone in the donut shop laughed loudly.  But, I got to thinking some people are uncomfortable with public displays of affection.

What makes you uncomfortable?  Come over to Story of My LIfe and share.

Day 2 - Something I know a lot about - Procrastination

Day 2 I am supposed to educate you on something I know a lot about.  I could pick making yummy cookies or taking pictures of said cookies; but I chose to write about something I am an expert about.

Procrastination

I tell myself often that I need to get better at not putting things off and not getting distracted. But, I fail...often.  So today's blog post is about how to embrace the procrastination and work under pressure.

Here is the scene: It's Saturday and people are going to be coming over at 5 to a casual get together.  This is something you have known about for at least a week possibly longer.

Monday - Friday: Put off cleaning house and shopping "until tomorrow when I have more time".
Saturday: Wake up at 8 (even if you set your alarm for 6 so you have plenty of time)
8:05 - Grab a cup of coffee or oj or milk or any other beverage of choice
8:15 - Make a detailed to-do list for the day
8:30 - Eat breakfast to give you fuel for the day and well...your hungry
9:00 - Look at list.  Decide no one should be going in your bedroom, so you cross that off the list
9:15 - Jump on Pinterest because you swear you pinned something about cleaning your house in 15 minutes.  Get sucked into Pinterest vortex.
10:15 - Decide to change your entire menu for the evening
10:30 - Make a new grocery list
11:00 - Go to the grocery store and get ADD and look at decor and stuff to make your house smell good
12:30 - Unpack groceries
12:45 - Family whines they are hungry...make lunch
1:15 - Evaluate list again - decide to spot mop instead of real mop
1:30 - Finally go clean the bathroom
2:15 - Start prepping meal because one of the dishes takes 4 hours to chill in the fridge
3:15 - Start to freak out a little and whine to you your family have you feel you never have enough time
3:30 - Yell at family to clean their respective spaces.
4:00 - Hurriedly clean living room and throw a bunch of stuff in the bedroom because your not letting anyone in that room
4:30 - Kick the dogs outside and sweep like a mad woman
4:45 - Jump in the shower for a quick shower
4:55 - Throw on a rumpled t-shirt and some jeans and call it good
5:00 - Finish dinner.  Also if you are a drinker...drink heavily and swear to get better at not procrastinating or not to have anyone over to your house for a get together...

Yes, this has been a couple of get together's I have thrown at my house.  But, my friends tell me they come to see me, not my house.  I love them.  Contrary to all this, I am a very punctual person.  I will never be late to anything if I can help it.

Go see what others share their expertise on at Story of My Life.  Join us for the May blog challenge.

Oklahoma Aquarium

My only free weekend in April, we decided to go to the Oklahoma Aquarium.  It is about an hour and a half from where we live.  We asked Elexis' best friend if she wanted to go with us.  At the very last minute, we decided to ask Elexis' cousin (who is 17 days older than her) if he wanted to go to.  So we had a backseat full of kids and us.  We had the best time in the car.  As you know from my previous posts, we have a lot of insane conversations and lots of laughter in the car.  I think it is the equivalent of a family meal for us.  It is our bonding and together time.  

We decided on the way there we were going to split into teams and play the alphabet game.  When I was a kid and we played this game, we had strict rules.  You could only use billboards and no body could use the same billboard.  That made the game last a reallllly loooong time.  We would go for hours stuck on Q or J.  Now that I am an adult, I have relaxed those rules.  We can name a letter off of any sign and even cars.  The driver really has all of the control.  If he needs a letter he can speed up or slow down to look at cars' license plates.  Anyway (got a little sidetracked there..haha), first we played girls vs. boys.  The girls kicked butt!!  We crushed the competition.  I think they were stuck on K when we finished the game.  The second game we mixed it up and I had two of the kids on my team and it was my husband and daughter on one team.  They were ahead of my team by like 10 letters.  We caught up when they were stuck on V and we won the game by one letter.  It was so much fun!  There was a lot of friendly yelling and a lot of laughter.  

When we got to the aquarium, it wasn't too crowded for a Saturday.  I expected worse.  The kids all had a great time.  We fed turtles, we pet stingrays and baby sharks.  We touched starfish and shrimp.  We saw a lot of native wildlife and some really awesome jellyfish.  At the aquarium there is a really awesome shark tunnel.  You walk through this 50 foot tunnel made of glass and sharks are swimming above you.  You get to this large open glass dome where sharks are swimming all around and above you.  It is soo cool to watch.  After a while, it started to make me dizzy, so I went out and sat with my daughter.  She doesn't like things like that so she waited at the shark viewing tank and didn't go through the tunnel.  

Touching the stingrays was really neat.  They were very slimy and not at all what I was expecting them to feel like.  They were smooth and kind of rubbery feeling.  I have pet a dolphin before, so I expected it to feel like that, but it didn't.  The baby sharks were sooo lazy.  They just stayed in the corner of the tank.  I pet one and it was kind of rough feeling.  Like really scaly skin.  Feeding the turtles was fun for the kids.  For $2 we got a stick with a string on the end and a clothespin on the end of the string.  The kids got little sweet potato shavings and would clip them in the clothespin.  Those turtles were so funny fighting for the bits of food (even thought they eat all day).  

Overall we had a really great day at the aquarium.  We had overpriced snacks at the cafe and bought overpriced souvenirs from the gift shop.  Our drive home was a little more subdued.  The kids watched youtube on the iPad (watch How animals eat their food  It is hilarious...I also have the sense of humor as a 13 year old apparently).  We just listened to music and talked.  

After we got home, the kids played outside until about 10 when Elexis' cousin had to go home.  Sunday we relaxed and did nothing.  It was wonderful!  Here are some fun pictures of the aquarium:

On the way there...love my husband's face!

good thing about sunglasses is he can still watch the road while appearing to look at the camera.

I love the effects of the water

eat turtle eat

Beaver

Petting the stingray

Me...petting the stingray - the sharks were hanging out behind those logs

I love jellyfish

feeding the alligator - ha!

another cool jellyfish

girls feeding the turtles

more jellyfish

My life story...in 250 words or less

Welcome to the May Challenge.  I am excited.

Day 1: My life story in 250 words (or one paragraph) or less.  This is really hard.  How do I sum up my life in one paragraph....oh well, here goes.

I was born and partly raised in a small town in Oklahoma.  My parents divorced when I was 7.  I lived a few years off and on with my grandma.  Most of my fondest memories are with her.  I met my husband when I was a senior in high school (he was a sophomore in college).  We were married on the 4th of July when I was 19.  We moved to Houston after he graduated college.  We lived there for 11 months and 16 days.  One of the most traumatic experiences of my life happened while we were there.  But, I also became pregnant with my daughter during that time.  We moved back to Oklahoma to my husband's hometown.  We have lived here ever since.  We have a 13 year old daughter, who is wonderful.  We also have two dogs and a cat. I have a brother in the Army.  I also have a half-sister who is 13 years younger than me.  She is married to a Marine.  I have a step-sister who lives in Texas with her Army husband.  I have a step-brother who is in college at Oklahoma State.  Lastly, I have a step-sister who lives here in Oklahoma.  I have 8 nephews (my daughter is a bit of a princess). I have a great group of friends who I adore.  I am a professional photographer and a professional cake decorator.  I enjoy crafting, reading and sewing and baking.  I love life.

Ok...I think that is around 250.  If you want to see other's life stories, join me and other bloggers over at Story of My Life.

A little something extra and exciting!!  My sister (the one married to the Marine) is having her baby today.  I cannot wait to see pictures of my newest nephew.  I wish I could be in NC to be with her, but I am there in spirit.  Yay!!