The Birthday Countdown

Well, as February winds down, thus starts the official birthday countdown for me! Ok, so only 10 more days....for those of you who are countdown-challenged, my birthday falls on March 9th. It's funny that I can still get excited about birthdays at my age. I guess because I know that in a couple of years, I will officially QUIT celebrating!
I got my annual review today from my boss. Why is it that we dread something so trivial? Is it the criticism or having your shortcomings staring you in the face? I always dread the month of February until I finally get the review. Then, I think, "Wow, that wasn't bad!" So, now it's over and it'll be a year before I have to deal with one again!
Our last day of class is this Thursday. We have to give our final presentation over our team project. I am glad to see the class coming to an end--it signifies completion. However, I am afraid the next class will kick my tail! I must admit though, the class has been fun and I have learned a lot during the last 8 weeks.
Well, I have a ton of work to do (as usual), so since my blog isn't bringing home the bacon, I guess I better sign out for now.
Til the next post,
T

Climbing the Alpine Tower

Well, Saturday we went to Base Camp at the Soderquist Center for our team building activities. We spent 3 hours in team-building activities and the final hour we each took turns climbing the Alpine Tower. Chico and I were the last ones to go and to be honest, at first, I wasn't even going to try it. It is probably 75-100 feet tall. There are various climbing obstacles to get to the top platform. Well, guess what? I DID IT! Yes, climbed to the top! I couldn't believe it! I am not one for heights (see previous blog on that) and when I finally decided to give it a shot, I thought I would probably only make up about 15-20 feet. About 3/4 of the way to the top, there is a smaller platform. When I reached this point, I was going to come back down. Well, Kyle, Kylie, and Weston were there watching and Kylie yelled out, "Mom, you can do it!" That was all I needed. It is amazing how much motivation is packed in my 3 year-old! I said, "On that note, I am going all the way to the top!" It was such an amazing feeling of accomplishment. I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge and will relish the feeling of success.
Well, Kyle's birthday is tomorrow...another year older! I went ahead and gave him his present a day early because he wouldn't stop being nosey! :) He is saving up his birthday money from everyone else to buy some pipes for his motorcycle. And speaking of birthdays, only 11 more days until mine gets here! WOO HOO! I have only 2 more before I stop having birthdays altogether.
Well, Grey's Anatomy is starting and that's the point when the rest of the world stops!
Happy Birthday Kyle....Love ya!

The Candy Police

Well, breaking Kylie's candy addiction hasn't been so easy. Do they make detox clinics for 3 year old Tootsie roll abusers? This weekend we had about 3 incidents on Saturday and 3 again on Sunday with her sneaking candy in her room and eating it.
The first occurred at approximately 9:00 a.m. when the suspect (Kylie) was caught with jumbo sized Smarties hidden in her bed covers. When questioned, she denied any involvement and said the evidence didn't belong to her.

Me: Kylie, where did this candy come from?
Kylie: I dunno Mommy. It's not mine, it's Weston's.
Me: Why would Weston be hiding candy in your bed?
Kylie: Because. (Classic guilty look with hands behind back and eyes looking everywhere except at me)

So, I disciplined her, threw away the candy and thought, well, this isn't easy, but I am glad she has learned to not eat the candy. Well, less than an hour later as I was brushing my teeth, I hear very quick footsteps heading toward the pantry....I looked out the bathroom to see the suspect disposing of the remaining evidence that must have been hidden in her room that I had not found. So, I again reprimanded her, however I guess it just doesn't matter when you crave something so badly because that evening she was caught red-handed....or should I say chocolate-handed! The suspect had been put to bed and I was finishing up some last minute chores before turning in, when she comes out of her room with a chocolate goatee. I immediately asked her what she had done and she pulls her hand out from behind her back to reveal a mess. Her hand was completely coated in melted chocolate! It was as if the addiction overcame her so quickly that she had fiercely unwrapped the candy and crammed it into her mouth! The child is going to be completely toothless by age 4! Not to mention, we will never get to build a house...we will be building a new mouth for her!
Well, it's late as usual and I am depressed after paying bills for the last hour and just thinking about the upcoming dental bills! So, see ya at the next candy raid!

Let's Get Physical!

Well, I have been trying to be good about working out....I joined a new gym and I have made an effort to at least put in 3 times a week, however it's very disconcerting to get on the elliptical machine, churn away for 30 minutes and find out you burned a whopping 200 calories...Geez! My Starbucks coffee packed that many calories in the first 2 sips....oh well! It took a lot of will power to come back after the first week. Sheer torture. I couldn't walk, I couldn't move. There were muscles I didn't know I had that were hurting! I made it feel all better when I got home and had an Eskimo pie though!
Kyle and TJ went to the Razorback game tonight...let's hope they don't jinx those hogs! The hogs pulled off an AWESOME win last weekend beating a Top 10 team. I think Stan Heath was ready for a win like that!
Well, I am down to the last two weeks of my first class in the Leadership and Ethics program. So far, the class has been thoroughly enjoyable. This Saturday we are going to the main campus to do the ropes course. I am kind of scared....I am not one for heights! I am not sure what all is involved in this thing. It's going to be outside though, so I really hope it warms up! Nothing like 80 degree weather for 2 months and then now it decides to get cold.
Weston is once again playing teeball. He and one of his buddies Ryan are going to be one the same team. I am a little nervous about this league. It's the real deal! I just hope he keeps enjoying like he has the past two summers.
Well, it's time to put two kiddos to bed! I am ready to watch some Grey's Anatomy Season 1!
Til the next post,
T

Read My Blog

Me: Hey, I'm home....
Kyle: Guess what your daughter did today?
Me: HHMMM, well, I am sure it involved attitude if it came from her.
Kyle: Yes, today she _________ (fill in blank based on date with kicked, bit, fussed, shook her booty)
Me: Great, do I need to call Tina tomorrow?
Kyle: Probably so.
Me: So, she at least has a spot at the daycare, right?
Kyle: Yes, for now. How was your day?
Me: Fine, long though.
Kyle: Anything interesting?
Me: Hang on, I'll write in my blog and you can read about it.

That's pretty much how I communicate my daily activities with my husband...I write that night and he reads my blog the next morning. I have to say it has been a blessing in our marriage. A blessing you say? Yes, a blessing. He feels like he knows how I am doing and what's going on!
I am sure Dr. Phil would have a different perception about our communication techniques, but I say, whatever works!

Kyle got invited over to some friend's house today with about 10 other men to watch the NASCAR race. He was pretty excited I think to have a day of rest and hanging out after an 8.5 hour work day yesterday due to the weather. I am just excited it is still the weekend! It seems the week gets longer and the weekend gets shorter as time goes by.

Oh, here's an exciting change....the gate opener is officially installed. However, we are experiencing technical difficulties due to the weather, but I must say... PROGRESS!

Well, it's lunchtime, I'm hungry and I have a ton of homework and work-work to do. Plus I would like to catch up in my 40 Days of Community book as well.

Kyle, I will be home after work tomorrow (Monday) after I stop by the gym to work out, so I will see you around 6. Anything is fine for dinner with me. Love ya!

Til the next post,
T

Trips, Trips, and More Trips

Well, I am going to have to find some new luggage because of all of the upcoming trips for work (and 1 for pleasure)!
First stop, NASCAR race in March at the Atlanta Motor Speedway in Georgia. It should be lots and lots of fun....We are going to have a booth on exhibit at the race and hope to have the driver we are sponsoring stop by the booth for autographs, etc.
Next stop, Orlando, FL in April for a conference. I haven't been to Orlando in awhile and although I won't have a lot of extra time, it will still be a nice time of the year to see Florida and maybe doing a little sight-seeing in my free time.
From there, it's Nashville, TN in May for another conference. Believe it or not, I have never been to Nashville and I am looking forward to going! I am going a few days early and Kyle is meeting me there so that we can go to the Opry and tour Music Row, etc. It should be a great time!
Just a few weeks after that is VACATION! Kyle, the kids, and I along with my parents, my brother and two of his friends are going to sunny Cancun, Mexico for a little golf, swimming, sun, and relaxation. I must say this trip will feel different from the last time I was there for a few reasons. The most obvious being that the kids and Kyle weren't there last time. It'll be good to make some new memories down there!
After that, it is Washington, DC in June where I have yet another conference. I am pumped about this conference though because Colin Powell will be speaking! What a once in a lifetime opportunity! This is definitely my year for rubbing shoulders with some famous people.
So, I have been at www.overstock.com frantically searching for some new luggage....I found an adorable hot pink set for a great price that I may just have to buy mainly because it will definitely be easier to find at the airport.
Well, it's the weekend and I have TONS to do, so I am going to get this weekend started!
Have a great winter weekend!

Conclusion...The End

What goes around comes around....the full circle...the return to yesterday, the reality of tomorrow...where it all started....the end of the beginning and the beginning of the end.
I guess this has been the "theme" of this week for me. And it is probably the theme in Mr. Skilling's and Mr. Lay's and many others' lives right now (former big-wig executives of Enron) as they stand trial for their part in the deception at Enron.
In class this evening, we watched segments from a documentary on the fall of Enron. What a sad, sad story of manipulation, greed, and the overwhelming desire for more. It is amazing that with the technology and regulations in place today, a company was able to fool the world into believing they were making money.

Here's the two points I learned from this:

1) When a company starts taking away the freebies such as coffee, paper cups, etc that were a norm in the office place, things are starting to go bad (I probably learned this more from the Worldcom stuff than Enron, but hey, it's a glaring statement that money is tight!)
2) When the CEO, CFO, and any other C_O divorces their wives and marries their secretaries, they feel inconquerable, powerful, and "King of the Hill".....because a man who values the stability in his life would not trade it for an illusion. The leading men of Enron were fearless, yet careless. They craved MORE of everything, yet more of the wrong things. More power, more money, more control. They did not care who they hurt in the process, for they were self-centered and self-serving.

Anyway, just my thoughts on this. My heart aches for the employees of Enron for they lost everything they had. And their everything was a drop in the bucket to what these men were earning in a week. There is nothing wrong with bettering your life, except when it is at the expense of others.

Care Bears STARE!

Well, we went to see the Care Bears and Kylie had a blast! We had front row seats with an awesome view. Kylie's favorite color is purple, so she was thrilled when "Harmony Bear" (the purple one) waved at her! That is probably the equivalent of Joe Don shaking my hand at the Rascal Flatts concert a little over a year ago. Well, you have probably noticed some obvious changes in my blog....I am still working on it though, so it will be an ever-changing thing for awhile. I think I like the background color and template are a little better, it's still just a template. I am hoping to customize one someday, but this HTML thing is very hard to figure out if you haven't had any classes, etc. The MP3 player in the sidebar is probably my favorite change so far. I love music and it's always interesting to me to know what someone is listening to. It seems to say something about them, where they are at, what's on their mind....these are just a few of my favorite songs right now.
Well, it's late, I'm tired and I have class tomorrow evening, so it'll be another late night.
So, I am turning in for the evening...
T

Full Circle

Well, today is Valentine's Day...the day of lots of candy, cards, and lovey-dovey stuff! It is also the last day my kids are allowed to have cokes and candy. Now before you give me the Cranky Mom of the Year award, let me explain. Kylie went to the dentist yesterday. This is her second visit (the first one being when she turned 3). Well, after the visit I was in shock. Kylie has to have 3, YES 3, root canals and crowns and 1 filling! I am officially broke! The poor kid...I have to drug her with demerol and some other "conscious sedative" (is that an oxymoron or what?).
The dentist was surprised to hear that she hasn't been complaining of pain. I am in sticker shock. It's the famous "just when I was getting ahead" syndrome. I officially am giving up the battle of "getting ahead"....So, now do you understand why the candy/cokes are forbidden? That's what I thought.
Ok, I am going to try and come up with a new design for my blog. I have been doing a little research and I am trying to find something I like and that I can also personalize. So, stay tuned for a new and improved blog!
Well, I am going to go for now to do a little research on making this blog look better!
Have a lovely evening.....

The Perfect Meeting

Anyone that knows me knows I LOVE Rascal Flatts.....well, guess what? This girl's dream is about to come true! I get to MEET Rascal Flatts! Yes, MEET them. You are reading the blog of a girl who received a coveted backstage pass! I couldn't believe it when I saw the confirmation email sitting in my inbox. I thought there must be some mistake...I am just not THAT lucky. But after the 37th time I read it, I decided it must be for real. So the countdown begins. The concert is March 24, 2006 in Little Rock and I am PUMPED! So, Kyle and I will be sitting down front, enjoying the show and beforehand, I will do a little meeting and greeting! Of course, when great things come your way, there are always the fun critics. Like the "Oh they herd you in and out really quickly" comments... To those people, I say "Kiss My Backstage Pass!"
I also got a laptop with my tax refund and this is my first time to try it out. So far, so good. It's a little more comfy in the recliner typing on the computer than at the desk. I am excited, because now when I go on business trips or on my way to Cancun in May, I can watch DVD's on the plane and have email access while I am there. No more being cut-off from the rest of the world.
Meanwhile, Kylie is counting down the days until the Care Bears come to town. This Wednesday night, she and I are having a girls' night out and we are going to go see them. She has been anxiously awaiting the night for about a month or so. We are on the second row, so she is sure to enjoy the great view!
We were going to go see Hoodwinked this evening, but for some reason both kids decided to have breakdowns! I am trying to be firm and not give in when they start their little fits. So, we are staying home this evening. We will just eat a little pizza and watch a video here I guess. That's OK, it's so cold outside (it's actually snowing right now) that I don't think I want to bother getting out anyway. Kyle just called and he is renting Ladder 49.
Oh, I am SO proud of myself! I am getting THIS close to being able to start a house. I set a few goals for myself that I wanted to complete before I built a house, and I am happy to say I am about 2/3 of the way through those goals. And the final part is going to be completed a lot faster than anticipated, so I guess I will need to adjust the goals and see if I can't get even more accomplished. I am having a hard time deciding between staying on path for my original goal or possibly considering a really nice modular home that I could be in about 6 weeks from now. I am afraid that idea is just a temporary solution to my already temporary solution, but I don't know. I really want to build the house of my dreams and I am close to being able to do so, so it's probably best to keep my eyes on the prize and not be distracted by easy solutions. I know it will be all worth it when it gets here.
Well, that's about all I have this evening......

Further and Further Apart

Well, it seems I am running about a week apart on my blogs, but things have just been so busy! First of all, I am officially back in the BUNCO swing....a group of friends and I started our own Bunco and kick off is this Friday night. I can't wait. We have such an awesome group of girls that are going to play, so I think there will be great times ahead! I am so excited....not like I don't have enough already going, but I can always make time to socialize!
I got another new CD last night. It is Dierks Bentley's new CD and I love it. My reason for buying it was for the song "Settle For A Slowdown," however all the songs are great. I love the very last one as well. The reason behind purchasing this CD was because I won a bet with Kyle. I picked the winning team for the Super Bowl which entitled me to 2 CD's. Well, I felt bad that Kyle's team did get the shaft on a few calls, so I split the prize with him.
Well, that's all for the time being....back to the grind.

Vultures

VULTURES (sung by none other than my favorite...Mr. John Mayer)

Some of us, We're hardly ever here
The rest of us, we're born to disappear
How do I stop myself from
Being just a number
How will I hold my head
To keep from going under

Down to the wire
I wanted water but
But I'll walk through the fire
If this is what it takes
To take me even higher
Then I'll come through
Like I do
When the world keeps
Testing me, testing me,testing me

How did they find me here
What do they want from me
All of these vultures hiding
Right outside my door
I hear them whisperin
They're tryin to ride it out
Cause they've never gone this long
Without a kill before

Down to the wire
I wanted water but
I'll walk through the fire
If this is what it takes
To take me even higher
Then I'll come through
Like I do
When the world keeps
Testing me, testing me, testing me

Wheels upI got to leave this evening
Can't seem to shake these vultures
Off of my trail
Power is made, by power being taken
So I keep on running
To protect my situation

Down to the wire
I wanted water but
I'll walk through the fire
If this is what it takes
To take me even higher
Then I'll come through
Like I do
When the world keeps
Testing me, testing me

Oooooooooooo
Oooooooooooo
Oooooooooooo
Oooooooooooo

Whatcha gonna do about it
Whatcha gonna do about it

***************************************************
Sorry, but I just had to share the lyrics of one of my favorite songs right now....I was listening to it on the way home from class this evening and really enjoy it. Isn't it just like us to prey on the weaknesses of others? Instead of helping them, we feed off of them. We wait for the right moment...only to attack. We take the most opportune moments when we could help someone and use actions, words, or denial of love to stay at the top.
Sad part is, we can think of many times when we have been the vulture and many times when we have been another's meal. I guess what we can take from the experience is that it hurts to be on the receiving end. I guess what speaks most to me in this song is determination. I am not giving up because I refuse to be a victim. I don't like to get hurt, so I will do what it takes to make sure I am not hurt. Sometimes we do have to make some painful decisions in order to avoid a stronger pain later. We don't like to do it, but we know in the end it is what is for the best to survive. And there's nothing like a pressured decision that it is going to cause pain initially. Anyway, just my thoughts...well, it's late for me, so this one is short...hey, read the lyrics again.
Til next time,
T

1 week later....

Well, I guess I didn't realize just how busy I have been lately! It has been a week since my last blog...let's see what all have I accomplished in the last week.....
Well, for starters my taxes are done! Yes, done! I e-filed today and hope to get that big 'ole check in a week and half or so...Woo Hoo! We are 1 step closer to building that house!
The bible study (40 Days of Community) is still going great...in fact, I totally enjoyed last week's sermon in regards to the things that devastate a relationship-that's another blog in itself, but let's just say it was refreshing to hear it.
Well, this weekend is Super Bowl Sunday...and I have no clue who is even playing! :) But hey, the Super Bowl isn't for the football, it's for the food, the commercials, and socializing with friends.
Ok, well better get back to the evening...Kyle is on my case.
For now,
T