What to do, what to do?

So one of my New Years Resolutions is already exploding before my eyes. I had every intention of giving this blog the well-deserved and needed care it craves starting on January 1 but life has, again, gotten in the way. I spend a lot of time running through ideas in my head about what I can put on this blog. And occasionally I think of a good idea but don't get around to posting it and then.......I forget what it was that I had thought of. Brilliant, huh?

And then, I often read others' blogs and think, I could have written about that! And should have written about that! But can't write about that now since it's already been written about!
I have always enjoyed creative writing and been good at it (or so I was told) but since I've started my blog, I can't seem to think of anything to write about!

And I should probably have a contest to drum up a following but then, I need to have posts that are worth reading before attempting a contest. sigh. What to do?

Great Giveaway for your little Girly-Girls!

I just found an awesome giveaway over at Frugal Mommy of 2 Girls. Check it out!

So we started our new book club last week. The Magic Tree House book club ended in December since we are now officially caught up with Mary Pope-Osborne. And the kids asked that I start a new book club. The Magic Tree House book club was a great book club but it did limit us in regards to age. Our homeschool co-op, at one time, had a teen book club, a Newberry book club (for the tweens) and the MTH book club that I led. Although the MTH club had 15 members at one time, we gradually dwindled to 6 or 7 with 2 of those being mine.

So in starting the new book club, I really wanted one that would appeal to a larger age span and hopefully get the crowd back. The Newberry club has ended as the mom who leads it is moving to NY in a few months when her hubby returns from Iraq. And the teen club ended months ago although I don't know what happened with that.

After much research and a few kids who really begged, we decided to go with the Carole Marsh Mystery series. They are geared for ages 6-14 and really have a great appeal with the kids. The author actually lives within an hour of us in Peachtree City GA and there's a huge possibility we might get her to visit our bookclub one month.

So long, my love.....

Three days and three of these......

For me, this is a very big deal MONUMENTAL ! Those who know me know of my fondness addiction to habit. Many may believe I actually have an addiction to that can of Diet Coke or Joy Juice as I so fondly refer to it but nothing could be further from the truth. The truth is that I have an addiction to addictions. How about that for an addiction? Seriously, from as young as I can remember until the age of 18, I was a nail biter. And not just your ordinary, every day nail biter. I was the EXTREME nail biter. I was on a mission. I bit my nails until they bled. I did, one time while a little girl, let them grow long enough to be painted by my mom but immediately picked the nail polish off and began nail biting again. I had proved to myself that I could quit therefore I started again. In typing class during high school, I was unable to type properly because my fingertips were so painfully sore that I could not strike the keys. I knew where the keys were but was unable to type quickly due to the nail biting. Not so good for my grade. But guess what Mr. Jacob? I am a typing whiz now. You would be so proud of me.

So I began dating my first long-term relationship at the age of 17 and he was a smoker. So guess what? I started smoking within that first year of our relationship. Both of my parents smoked and I always hated it. I hated that he smoked as well. And I had no intention of ever being a smoker. But I started smoking a Marlboro light here and there and boom! Suddenly, I was a smoker. And not just an every now and then smoker, but a chain smoker. And guess what horrible habit I dropped in the interim? Yep, the nail biting disappeared and I suddenly became the owner of multiple bottles of nail polish. I had to paint them because the nicotine made my fingernails yellow and although I smelled awful, I was NOT about to have yellow nails! Nope, none of that for me, thank you very much. Far too vain for yellow nails. ick.

So my chain smoking lasted longer than my first long-term relationship but along the way, I realized that a dry mouth occurs when one chain smokes. Imagine! In college, my roomie drank caffeine-free diet coke and I picked up that habit. But Caffeine-free Diet Coke wasn't always as easy to find at that time and caffeinated diet coke made it's way into our dorm room mini- refrigerator quite a bit. Although I preferred the "burn" of the caffeine-free variety (it tasted more like Classic Coke to me), I drank what was there due to the cotton mouth of the ciggies. And didja' know that diet coke has a way of making you thirsty? So guess what I did? Each time I finished a can, I would grab another. And hence, my next addiction.

The smoking stopped years ago and was, by far, the hardest thing I've ever quit. Not because of the addiction to nicotine but because I am a very hyper person and always need something in my hand or something to pick at. First my nails, then holding the cigarettes and then holding the diet coke. To this day, I have to keep my nails painted; if I don't, I find myself picking at them and nibbling on the ends. When I was pregnant with Tiara 2, I had such horrible heartburn that I could not eat or drink and was only able to keep down Diet Sprite. Until 3 nights ago, I still had a Diet Sprite or two every night. It was still a cold can in my hand and served the purpose.

So one of my resolutions this year was to put an end to this insanity. I know I drink far more Diet Coke than I should. I know it isn't healthy for me. And I know it has added to my weight. So I cut it out completely with the exception of one each and every morning for the last three. I actually hadn't intended to cut it out this much but had hoped to cut it down to 2 or 3 per day. But after drinking water all day, I haven't felt thirsty enough to want one. And since I don't drink coffee, I do feel justified in having my morning Joy Juice fix. I haven't had my nightly Diet Sprite fix either. Just trying to stick to the H2O and keep the momentum going.

I still have my caffeine headache which bites. I wasn't really worried about all the caffeine in my system; for me it was more of a sodium issue. I do feel like my caffeine headache may be on the way out. And I know I can beat this. I have beaten much worse before.

I just really want to get healthy this year. I want my Tiaras to know the real me. So for now, it's so long, my love..... I'm sure every time I hear a can crack open, I will remember our relationship but for now, I need to move on. It's just what I need to do.

Fairly regularly scheduled blog posts will resume tomorrow. Or at least that's my intention - it's one of my resolutions.......

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming......

So long, '08

As I reflect on 2008, there are some wonderful times to be remembered. T-Bone and I took the girls to Disney for their first visit ever. What an experience! The joy on their faces is something that I only wish I could capture in a bottle. I fear getting old and forgetting such precious times.

The other highlight of '08 for our family would be our visit to the ocean. Although T-Bone didn't go with us, the girls and I had a wonderful time with some very good friends and their children. We stayed in a beautiful home (mansion) and visited the Kennedy Space Center, downtown Disney, two different beaches and took a pirate cruise. The girls had a wonderful time and I got some wonderful photos as well.

I managed to rid myself of quite a bit of negativity that surrounded the girls and I in this last year. Resigning as co-leader of my homeschool support group was the smartest move I made last year. Looking back, I'm certain my decision was a good one as not one single member of the nearly 25 families contacted me to find out if I was alright, what happened, etc. The 3 other families that followed when I left were and are my true friends and I feel very lucky to have their families in the lives of myself and my girls. I would have never guessed the amount of drama that surrounds a HOMESCHOOL support group! For those of you (if anyone reads this) who don't know, it's WORSE than high school! It's absolutely horrible. I realize that not all support groups have these issues but the few I've been in (with one exception) have all resulted in the same negative cat fights. And although I tend to keep things to myself, I do take things very personally. And as much as I was hurt by so many of the ridiculously silly situations, I was more upset with myself for allowing my girls to be exposed to such nonsense. So I did remove us from that nastiness and have not regretted it one second.

We also said goodbye to another regular event in '08. Our little Magic Tree House book club finished up in December with book #40. I began running the club at book #3 (after taking over for another mom) and have led it 12 months a year since then. The kids all loved the club so much they never wanted to take a break in the summers so we never did. Mary Pope-Osborne has only written 40 books in the series thus far (book 41 should be out in the spring) so we caught up with her earlier this month. When we started that club, Tiara 1 was only 5 and Tiara 2 was only 2 1/2. I read the book to them each month and they LOVED the stories way back then. As Tiara 1 learned to read, she began reading the stories each month to Tiara 2. I can't believe the club is actually over. It has been a constant throughout our homeschooling journey, thus far.

But the kids started requesting another book club way back last summer when they knew MTH was ending. So starting next month, we will begin the Carole Marsh Mystery series club. Carole Marsh is an incredibly talented writer who happens to be local to our area so I'm hoping to arrange a visit from her to one of our club meetings.

I could go on and on about '08 but honestly, I'm ready and excited for 2009 to begin. I always feel a sense of freshness and rejuvination with the passing of the old year. Am I looking forward to turning 40 in '09? Not hardly. But I AM looking forward to NOT feeling 40 which is a priority for me personally this year. The extra weight I have put on since my girls has got to go this year. And hell or high water, it will go. So wish me luck.

BE THANKFUL

Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire.
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don't know something,
for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times,
During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations,
because they give you the opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge,
because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes,
They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you are tired and weary,
because it means you've made a difference.

It's easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who
are also thankful for the setbacks.

Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.