It's been a month

It's been a month since my dad passed away.  It is still really hard for me to wrap my brain around.  I often pick up the phone and think "I haven't talked to dad in a while" or "Oh, I need to tell dad something".  And then the sadness sets in.  Yesterday, I was by his work (before he retired in January), and I said to myself "Ooh, I could stop in and surprise dad at work".  Except, I couldn't.  I really miss him a lot.  I miss hearing him say "Are y'all going to come out?" or "What's my baby girl doing?"  But really what I miss most is his laugh.  I really wish I could hear it out loud again.  I can close my eyes and still hear him laughing or saying these things.  My mom still has three voice messages from him saved on her phone.  All three of them coincidentally involve being at Walmart.  When we went to pick up his ashes, my siblings and I all got a tiny urn that has part of him in it.  I claimed the smile.  We knew my mom got his heart.  He sits on my mantle next to my father in law.  I know that they are together in Heaven discussing motorcycles and other guys stuff.  I know that I will one day get to see him again, but right now it is just really hard.  

I talk to my mom everyday.  I worry about her.  Right now she is still in "I have to get all of the paperwork side of things done".  I am afraid of what is going to happen when she doesn't have that distraction anymore.  I told her that I would like to go to a grief support group sometime soon.  I think it would be good for both of us.  I am going to try to upload his memorial video to Youtube so I can share it with those who want to see what a full life my dad led.  

A little background of my dad:  He was born in 1951 at 6 months premature.  He weighed a pound and 12 oz.  He was tiny.  The doctors thought he was dead so they didn't suction anything.  Because of that he was blind in one eye and deaf in one ear.  He was a miracle from the beginning.

Sunday Stealing

The 20Q Meme

1. When you buy a greetings card are the words or the picture more important to you? I like the words
2. What's your favorite kind of cake? I don't like to eat cake; but I like to bake swirl cakes best.
3. Do you ever make gifts for people, if so what, or do you buy them?  I do both.  When I make it is usually a baked good.  
4. You are chosen to have lunch with the President. The condition is you only get to ask one question. What do you ask? What's your favorite cereal.
5. Which do you dislike most: pop-up ads or spam email? I have both disabled; but spam email sometimes filters through.
6. What was the best party you've ever been to? I went to an awesome halloween party once.  I won 3rd place in my Princess Fiona costume.  I got beat out by a pregnant Betty (from the Flintstones)
7. Which is worse, being in a place that is too loud, or too quiet? Too loud (I have sensitive hearing)
8. You are offered an envelope that you know contains $50. You are then told that you may either keep it or exchange it for another envelope that may contain $500 or may be empty. Do you keep the first envelope, or do you take your chances with the second? I take the chance.  
9. Do you wish cellphone etiquette was a required class upon purchasing one? Absolutely!
10. What's the most messed up food combination that you've had that was actually good? Pepper on my apples
11. What's one of your most random pet peeves (something that annoys you)? scraping a fork across a plate...eek!
12. When is the last time you had home cooking? Today.  I love to cook.  I very rarely eat out.
13. If you could be a fictional character from a book who would you choose? Ramona from the Ramona Quimby series. 
14. If you could be in a television sit-com, which would you choose? Friends
15. If you could be any animal or creature for one day, what would it be? Sloth...they don't do anything
16. What's your favorite girl's name? Currently, if I had a little girl I would name her Brittyn Rae after mine and my husband's dad's middle names.
17. What's your favorite boy's name? Dakota
18. What's your supermarket of choice? Crest (a local chain) and Walmart Neighborhood Market
19. If you were to attend a costume party tonight, what or whom would you go as? no brainer...Minnie Mouse
20. What is your concession stand must-have at the movies? I am so boring.  I don't get anything from the concession.  

Sunday Stealing

1. Have you ever pretended to read a book to impress someone? I don't think so.

2. Have you ever pretended not to read a book in order to avoid embarrassment? Maybe romance novels when I was in high school

3. What’s your worst reading habit? Sometimes reading the ending because the suspense is killing me.

4. What book are you most proud of having read? War and Peace...hahaha just kidding.  Probably Great Expectations because I made it all the way through it.

5. Do you buy most of your books new, second-hand, electronically or borrow via the library? Yes, all of the above

6. Have you ever pretended to watch a film to impress someone? Nope

7. Have you ever pretended not to have watched a film in order to avoid embarrassment? Let's pretend that I don't own the Britany Spears movie Crossroads

8. What movie have you watched the most? Probably either The Breakfast Club or Grease

9. What film do you tell people is your favorite ever? Beauty and the Beast

10. What film is actually your favorite ever? Beauty and the Beast

11. What time do you usually wake up and get up in the mornings? 6:30

12. Do you wake naturally or does something/someone wake you up? A little bit of both.  I usually wake up before the alarm, but I drift in and out until the alarm goes off.

13. How many snooze alarms do you need? I think it is 2 or 3 before my daughter comes in.

14. What’s your routine on a workday/work at home morning? wake up, fix breakfast, get dressed, take Elexis to school

15. What’s your routine on a non-workday morning? wake up, get on the computer, family wakes up, fix breakfast

Catching up ...

I wanted to join the challenge that Kwizgiver put out.  I am having to play a little bit of catch up due to unforeseen circumstances.  So here goes.

1.  What funny happened today?  Sadly, this is the day my dad passed away.  We did get to swap some good memories of him that made us laugh.

2.  Who did you talk to today? A lot of family and friends.  Including my brother who hasn't spoken to me in 3 years.  

3.  Describe your outfit today.  Jeans, long sleeve t-shirt, light jacket, heavy jacket

4.  What time do you normally go to bed? Here lately it has been 3-4 a.m.  I've had a hard time sleeping. 

5.  Link to a current song you like.

6.  Six lies you tell yourself.
1.  You will go to the gym tomorrow. (here lately)
2.  You will go to bed early tonight.
3.  He's not really gone.
4.  My daughter NEEDS a new jacket. (what about the 15 she already has...)
5.  I am not going to buy any blue-rays this month. (Catching Fire is out)
6.  I am not addicted to Strawberry Fields tic-tacs.

7.  What movie do you want to watch next? Frozen (I could watch this video again and again)





Phew...all caught up.

Sunday Stealing (on Friday)

Let's go!!!

This one's an oldie but goodie from the archives!  

1) Candle scents this month: Blueberry Cheesecake
2) What I read this month: Divergent, Insurgent, in the middle of Alligiant
3) Top three songs I was drawn to: Happy by Pharell, Counting Stars by One Republic, Pompeii by Bastille
4) Movies I saw: Ride Along, About Last Night, Frozen, Lego Movie
5) Favorite tv moments of the month: Closing ceremonies of the Olympics
6) Something yummy I made: Sesame Chicken, Oreo red velvet brownies
7) Restaurants where I ate: Took my daughter to Subway does that count?
8) Five things I am loving this month: That it is almost Spring, electric blanket, remote start on my car, my nephews, my family
9) A goal I had for this month: to run 2 miles
10) This month I looked forward to: Spring
11) Something I want to remember about this month: My daughter's orchestra concert
12) A photo I took this month: 

Hard Week

Last Saturday my dad for 27 years passed away.  It was kind of sudden and totally unexpected.  We are still in shock and getting everything planned.  I will get back to regular blogging in a bit.

Blog award...that is very late being posted.

I got myself one of them there awards (said in my best Southern accent).

"The rules are, you must nominate another 11 blogs who have less than 200 followers, and let them know you've nominated them. You are given 11 questions by the blogger who nominated you, which you must answer. You must give the blogs you nominate 11 question for them to answer. Finally you must link back to the person who nominated you." 

The one and only wonderful Lizzy nominated me for this award.  I live vicariously through her and all her wonderful polish knowledge and beautiful manicures.  


Now for the questions she asked:
1. Where would you like to go on vacation?  NYC or Disney World.  I love them both.
2. What is your favorite winter Olympic sport? I kind of like the bobsledding
3. Do you watch cartoons?  haha...yes.  
4. What would your zombie apocalypse survival skill be?  I could maybe make them some cupcakes so they don't want to eat my brain.  
5. With no restrictions (ie: job) what color would you dye your hair? Purple
6. If safety weren't an issue would you still prefer shoes or go barefoot? I love being barefooted.
7. Ever hugged a tree?  My favorite tree from childhood, yes. 
8. For how much money would you shave your head? Maybe a good five grand or for a good cause.
9. Could you sew an outfit for yourself if you had/wanted to? Yes, and I have made many a costume.
10. Do you get seasick or motion sickness? No.
11. Do you take naps if you have time or find something to do? Definitely a nap taker. 

Now I have to come up with 11 questions.  This is harder than most people think.
1.  What is your favorite car?
2.  What do you do when you get upset?
3.  If you had a $5000 shopping spree and you had to spend all of it; where would you go and what would you buy?
4.  What is your favorite dessert?
5.  Would you consider yourself an animal person?  If so, what kind?
6.  What color is your front door?
7.  What do you have on your bed?  A bedspread, comforter, duvet or maybe just a blanket?
8.  What was your favorite childhood toy?
9.  What is your favorite thing about Tuesdays?  
10. Do you have a favorite cup/glass?  What is on it?
11. Favorite scent of candle?

Very random questions.  I tag anyone who reads this to answer either on your own blog or in my comments.  I love finding out more about my friends.