2009 Family Pix

Yesterday was a gorgeous day - perfect for our family photo and Calvin's 4 year pix.  Jennifer Hecht took the photos on location at Lake Sara.  If you're looking for great pix at a price you can afford and no copyright, she's your gal! 

Here are some of my favorite shots.  Enjoy!

THE CHALLENGE!

Mom and Phil, this challenge is for you!

I challenge you to attend the smoking cessation hypnosis treatment at the Keller Convention Center at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, June 30th.

It's time to set aside the excuses,
quit dragging your feet, and do it!
If not for you, for the health of your family.

Let's talk about second hand smoke - something I think many smokers ignore at their convenience.

•Secondhand smoke has been classified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a known cause of cancer in humans (Group A carcinogen).3

•Secondhand smoke exposure causes disease and premature death in children and adults who do not smoke. Secondhand smoke contains hundreds of chemicals known to be toxic or carcinogenic, including formaldehyde, benzene, vinyl chloride, arsenic ammonia and hydrogen cyanide.4

•Secondhand smoke causes almost 50,000 deaths in adult nonsmokers in the United States each year, including approximately 3,400 from lung cancer and 22,700-69,600 from heart disease.5

**** My point is smoking kills other people!!! What you do to yourself is one thing - but to our friends and family is another! ****

I have an interesting diagram
that shows the contents of cigarettes.
Take a look!

Go ahead, light up! Sure, doesn't smoking toilet cleaner sound so good?!? How about methane??? Oh and don't forget to get your daily dose of arsenic!

Smoking is serious. Here it is - in black and white for you to read from quit-smoking-stop.com:

•Smoking KILLS

•Every year hundreds of thousands of people around the world die from diseases caused by smoking.

•One in two lifetime smokers will die from their habit. Half of these deaths will occur in middle age.

•Tobacco smoke also contributes to a number of cancers.

•The mixture of nicotine and carbon monoxide in each cigarette you smoke temporarily increases your heart rate and blood pressure, straining your heart and blood vessels.

•This can cause heart attacks and stroke. It slows your blood flow, cutting off oxygen to your feet and hands. Some smokers end up having their limbs amputated.

•Tar coats your lungs like soot in a chimney and causes cancer. A 20-a-day smoker breathes in up to a full cup (210 g) of tar in a year.

•Changing to low-tar cigarettes does not help because smokers usually take deeper puffs and hold the smoke in for longer, dragging the tar deeper into their lungs.

•Carbon monoxide robs your muscles, brain and body tissue of oxygen, making your whole body and especially your heart work harder. Over time, your airways swell up and let less air into your lungs.

•Smoking causes disease and is a slow way to die. The strain put on your body by smoking often causes years of suffering. Emphysema is an illness that slowly rots your lungs. People with emphysema often get bronchitis again and again, and suffer lung and heart failure.

•Lung cancer from smoking is caused by the tar in tobacco smoke. Men who smoke are ten times more likely to die from lung cancer than non-smokers.

*Heart disease and strokes are also more common among smokers than non-smokers.

•Smoking causes fat deposits to narrow and block blood vessels which leads to heart attack.

•Smoking causes around one in five deaths from heart disease.

•In younger people, three out of four deaths from heart disease are due to smoking.

Today is the first day of the rest of your life. It is your choice what kind of life you live and the risks you take. Think of your friends and family. Think of Calvin and Cooper. It's time to be ready. Quit.

7:00p.m. at the Keller Convention Center tomorrow night.
Be there - get hypnotized.

It's $50 - and if either of you dare tell me that's expensive, I will kindly remind you that cigarettes are about $5.00/pack and if you smoke 2 packs a day - thus 14 packs a week - you spend at least $70/week on cigarettes... approximately $300/mo!

In all honesty, quit for yourself. Because you want to be healthier, you don't want cancer, and you want to increase your chances of living a long healthy life. Do it because you love yourself enough not to smoke toilet cleaner, arsenic, and methane. And when you've quit, be proud and announce it to everyone. You can do it!!!

Thursday? Really? Almost the weekend???

Just wanted to say hi. 
Tomorrow when we wake up it will be Thursday. 
That's almost the weekend! 
Hope you're having a fantabulous week! 

My week's not bad per say. 
I'm just grouchy. 
Tomorrow if it's nice we're heading to the pool. 
If it's rainy, Calvin and I are taking a long nap. 
It's a win-win situation.  :-) 

Speaking of Calvin, he's patiently waiting, with heavy eyes for me to wrap up this post and head to bed with him for a "camp out."  Someday - entirely too soon - he won't want to have camp-outs with his lame mom.  So, I'll enjoy what I can get for now.  :-) 

Sweet Dreams*

P.S. Shout out to Maria at the French Quarter for getting me in on Monday for a mani and pedi before pix.  Thx girl!  You rock!!!  :-) 

Gift Giving Etiquette

I am grumpy, irrational, and extremely irritable.  So this post is to gripe about something... 

When someone tells you about a gift they either bought or received and you either
a.) don't have it,
b.) don't understand it, or
c.)  are jealous,
it is not okay to insult the other person.  It is rude and unacceptable behavior.  It is hurtful. 

For the future try the following: 
a.) shut-up. 
b.)  smile. 
c.)  say something to the affect of, "You must really love it!  I can tell you're excited!" or "We'll have to stop by sometime to check it out!"  or "That is a great idea!  I'm sure he/she loved it!!!" 
or - if you can't muster up any kind words --- don't say anything at all. 

The end of my daily gripe. 

Missing Dad for 1 year

I can't believe I got through a year without my Dad. But I have. I've cried a lot, especially when nobody was looking. Some days I'm angry. Others I'm sad. I've had a few moments where I've almost accepted it. In the end, I still question why God took my Dad when he had so much to live for.

I'm not focusing all that well this morning, so I'll end with this poem that I read at Dad's visitation.

Dad...so many images come to mind
whenever I speak your name;
It seems without you in my life
things will never been the same.

What happened to those lazy days
when I was just a child;
When my life was consumed in you
in your love, and in your smile.

What happened to all those times
when I always looked to you;
No matter what happened in my life
you could make my gray skies blue.

Dad, some times I hear your voice
and turn to see your face;
Yet in my turning...it seems
the sound has been erased.

Dad, who will I turn to for answers
when life does not make sense;
Who will be there to hold me close
when the pieces just don't fit.

Oh, Dad, if I could turn back time
and once more hear your voice;
I'd tell you that out of all the dads
you would still be my choice.

Please always know I love you
and no one can take your place;
Years may come and go
but your memory will never be erased.

Today, Jesus, as You are listening
in your home above;
Would you go and find my daddy
and give him all my love.

The Cheater Cheater Re-Post

In lou of recent events, I'm re-posting this.  Original post from That Girl Emily. 
No, I'm not talking about Chris.  If he cheated, I would have castrated him! 


"Day 14. This is the grand finale. I really want to stick it to Steven one last time. And I wanted to make sure he was going to have plenty of time to contemplate what has happened to him and why.

And he’ll have the time while on hold, waiting for countless automated services and operators… See, the first thing I did was cancel all his credit cards by calling in and saying they were stolen. Same with his cell phone. Same with his online DVD membership. Same with his gym membership. I went online and changed the password to our bank account and changed the pin number to our ATM cards. I canceled Steven’s car insurance and reported his car stolen. I put an ad in a newspaper with Steven’s work phone, saying he had a fabulous 750 square foot studio apartment in Soho available for a steal--$300/month and to call him 24/7—can only imagine the message overflow! I made sure the post office will now forward all of Steve’s mail to an old folk’s home. And I signed him up for dozens of magazine subscriptions, such as “Guns and Ammo,” “Girls and Corpses,” “Creative Knitting” and “Boy’s Life,” to be sent to his office and I checked the “bill me later” box.These past 14 days, I’ve done everything to make Steven’s life a living hell. It’s definitely been cathartic but I also realize I haven’t had much time to simply work all of this out in my own mind. To really absorb what’s happened to me. So I’m sure I’ll still be sad sometimes. But at least I’ll know I never took it sitting down."

...

"I’m signing off for now… but one final word: next time you’re tempted to cheat, think once, twice or however many times it takes – and if you need to, think of that girl Emily."

Homebound!

We leave for home tomorrow! :-)

I'm ready to be home in my comfy house with my fluffy bed and my junk food in the cabinet. Where I can walk around in the nude if I please and I don't have to worry about what smells linger from the bathroom. ;-) Where it's all only one time zone. No more asking, "Is that 1 in central or eastern time?" Where Calvin's make believe animals are roaming in our backyard ready to be shot by his imaginary bullets. Home.

We'll start the drive tomorrow afternoon. I'm ready.

I am having a rough day. Not sure what my prob is - but I'm overly irritable and I'm so not pms-ing. I went shopping today and bought nearly nothing- wasn't even interested in anything at Coach! Gasp! I know! Something is wrong! I'm hoping for a yellowy day tomorrow! I fear for Chris and Calvin if I'm as grouchy tomorrow in the car! They may just give me a Tylenol PM to knock me out!

Farter

Calvin will be the first to admit he's gassy.  He's a boy - I guess farting is what boys do.  We encourage him to fart only in the bathroom.  He's 3 - he doesn't always follow that rule. 

Calvin, "I'm dragging my fart to the bathroom." 
Me, "Okay, good job going to the bathroom to fart." 
Calvin, "I already farted!  I'm just dragging it to the bathroom!" 

Creative little boy! 

Prayers Needed

Dawn is asking for prayers for her mother.  Words cannot express how wonderful Marilyn is.  She has blessed my life and many others.  I consider myself incredibly lucky to have her in my life. 

She needs our prayers now more than ever.  Please pray for Marilyn - for a cure for her cancer - for no pain - and for God to give her a sense of peacefullness when the time comes.  Also pray for Marilyn's family - especially her two children - one of which is my best friend, Dawn.  These two consider themselves very blessed to have such a tremendous mother. 

Even if you're not the religious or praying type, please, please, please say a prayer for them today.  Help me gather as many prayers as possible.  Post a prayers needed post on your blog, please.  Thank-you from the bottom of my heart,
Christina

This is taken from a post on the Stronger Than Cancer blog that Dawn posted today: 
We are headed to St. Louis. Mom has Superior Vena Cava Syndrome, essentially the tumor is pinching the vena cava shut and blocking circulation which is causing the swelling. Chemo and radiation are no longer options. There is a doctor at Barnes-Jewish that is willing to attempt to put a stent in the vena cava to open it up. Dr. Dy said this is an emergency situation. PRAYERS PLEASE!

Art and Energy Channelling

Only Chris and I would buy an oversized painting while on vacation with practically nowhere to put it in the car. We fit it in (barely) to get it back to Nick's house. By barely, I mean that it was in the back seat (too big for trunk) resting on the back dash, Calvin's heads, and the front seats. By the time we fit our luggage and all the other stuff I bought in the car, I'm really not sure there will be room for this painting. But we just had to have it. We'll figure something out. I guess it's a memory in the making. :-)

I talked to Dawn last night. She needs prayers and hugs. She has a good outlook on things and I admire that in her. But, she needs me...??? Or rather I need her to have problems right now so I can channel my energy in her direction. Next week marks the 1st anniversary of my Dad's death. I was coping well - or rather blocking it out until last night. I don't want to cry but the tears keep flowing down my cheeks. I feel overcome with emotions that I've kept bottled up for so long. I am a chicken. I don't want to face these feelings now. So, Dawn when I get back I'll be all over you like bread and butter. You'll be so sick of me. And I will be eternally grateful to you.

Anyone else have drama or problems that I can focus on next week? Mom, I already know your problem - and if they don't watch out they're going to see my own inner Karla come out and tell them what I really think. I don't think this next week would be an appropriate time to cross me. I will probably behave irrationally and say things that I'd never normally say. To say the least, I probably won't be very Doug-like.

No Good Old Fashion Southern Hospitality

We're in Michigan - in the Detroit area.  Chris here on business.  Calvin and I along for the ride.  There are a few things I've noticed while I've been up here: 

• There are great big, huge flags flying everywhere.  There's hardly a business without a flag flying high.  I don't know if this has anything to do with being so close to Canada.  But, it is pretty cool to see all the flags! 
• City driving isn't that bad - infact, people actually know how to drive and the stop lights are all perfectly timed so you don't have to stop every few yards. 
• Pizza Papalis is amazing.  If you're ever in Detroit, head to Greek Town for Pizza Papalis!  Order the chicago style deep dish.  You will not be disappointed! 
• There is a major lack of customer service here.  I haven't met one sales clerk, sales associate, or even fast food worker that bothered to even fake a smile.  I'm really disappointed.  Don't I look like a girl that likes to over-shop and spend too much money???  C'mon people!  Sell me something - try to make a sale!  I'm not asking them to kiss my butt - but just for them to abide by customer service standards. 

Mama Kat's Writing Assignment

I've been MIA from Mama Kat's assignments.  I sure hope she doesn't give me detention or kitchen duty!!!  ;-) 

This week's prompts: 
1.) Describe something someone has done to make you feel special.
(inspired by Le Poppy Design)

2.)Name your current addiction...we can get through this together.
(inspired by Lula)

3.) What have you been busy doing that's keeping you from updating your blog? How hard is it for you to get back into the swing of blogging when you take time off?
(inspired by Sera)

4.) Write a letter.
(inspired by eyegirl)

5.) Where would you like to be?
(inspired by T.J.)

I am choosing to accept assignments 2, 3, and 5
 
#2:  I am addicted to Bejeweled on my cell phone.  I got bored, bought the darn game and now I can't get enough of it!  I find myself wasting so much time playing on my phone, now!  Bejeweled Anonymous, please!!!

#3:  Ya know, I haven't been all that busy.  Not really too busy to update my blog.  I just feel like I've run out of things to blog about.  Blogger's block, I guess.  I'm hoping to get back into the swing of things soon.  On the bright side I guess not having anything to gripe about on my blog is better than having crap to gripe about! 

#5:  Right now we are on vacation in Michigan.  The trip has been extended due to certain circumstances.  I should be thrilled.  But, I'm not.  Chris is busy with business most of the day and Calvin and I spend the time together.  We've ventured out a few times, but in the end I really just miss my home and my stuff.  We have a few different options for this weekend.  Whatever we choose, I'm sure we'll have a great time! 

Stop by Mama Kat's for your writing assignment! 

7+ hours on the road, a Bass Pro shop, and Ikea!

So far our trip to Michigan has been a busy bee kind of fun. We've been having a great time! Run down of our trip so far:

• Long drive
• Calvin was a trooper. Thanks to a mild case of the flu he slept over 1/2 the drive. Perfect timing, right?!? :-)
• First night here we went to Bass Pro shop!!! And a big mall.
• Calvin got a new "hunting hat" that he'd been begging for. It's perfect. Camo Bass Pro hat! He loves it!
• First full day here we went to a Detroit Tigers game (they won!) followed by... Chris's favorite place to eat: Pizza Papalis. It was yumm-o! :-)
• Today Calvin and I took on the Detroit metro area.
• I learned the ways of the roads and we ended up at... one of my FAVORITE places to shop: Ikea!!!
• It was fantastic! I got lots of great finds including throw pillows for our new couches that will arrive sometime between July and September.
• Who knows what tomorrow will bring. I'm sure we will find more fun things to do! Later this week we are going to the Detroit zoo and taking a weekend excursion to a Great Lake beach somewhere. I'm definitely looking forward to it. :-)

Not really sure when we'll be home... sometime next week. It's nice to get away for a few days. Even though Calvin is having a good time, he is already home sick. He misses his buddy Kole tons and all the fun they have hunting imaginary animals/bad guys in our backyards.

The gift gone wrong

Forgive me if I seem a bit dramatic about the subject. 

Scenario:  Chris does a crap load of driving.  He has complained about the boring drives and how much nicer it was when he had Sirius Satellite Radio.  Me, the good wife, thought I'd get him Sirius Satellite Radio as an early Father's Day gift - just in time to use for our trip to Michigan. 

After a lot of research and a shopping trip to Best Buy in Champaign, I brought it home last night.  I did not get the reaction I was hoping for.  I thought he'd be thrilled.  He was not.  He does not want it.  He recently improved his mp3 situation in his car and now listens to it all the time.  So, he doesn't see the need nor does he think he'd use the SSR.  I am returning it while in Michigan next week. 

I love, Love, LOVE giving gifts.  I put a lot of thought into the gifts I give people.  And my reward is seeing their smiling faces.  I don't think I've ever been in this situation before where I put so much thought and planning into a gift and for the receiver to dislike it.  Do I have the right to claim hurt feelings or am I being too dramatic? 

A Graduation Soap Box

Just incase you're not from around here, let me explain that I live in a good old fashion small Catholic town. Everybody knows everybody or someone that knows somebody. Almost everyone goes to the same church and well, 1/2 the town is related. At least 1/3 of the community are farmers. We don't have a huge meth problem or even gangs.

Get the picture? We're small town, country people.

So then why in the heck were their cops at the THS graduation last night??? First, my brother said they had to take a breathalizer before entering the high school. Then, they were told that they would be searched to make sure they had no noise makers, silly string, etc to celebrate at the end of graduation. WTH?!? To make matters worse, there are 4 doors in our gym. There were cops at every single door. 2 of these cops were at the doors where the grads entered, so they were in the pix.

At the end of the graduation, when the grads usually spray silly string - they were told not to do anything of the sorts - - - or their diplomas would be revoked. WTH?!? To my knowledge, previous grads never vandalized the gym - so why are the '09 grads being treated this way.

Oh, I forgot to tell you that not only in the program was there a list of rules for the audience to abide by, but then the first speaker reinforced these rules. They were common sense like: be courteous of others when taking pictures, children must remain with an adult at all times, etc. It was a bit dramatic and condescending to say the least.

Let's just say that the overyly dramatic actions placed by the school board and enforced by the law enforcement gave THS a bad name.