Mrs. ReaLife

WIN an iPAD!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-04-09T13:16:00.002-04:00

Hey y'all !!! Want a chance to win an iPad AND support and amazing cause???

CLICK HERE!!!

OH YES I DID!

2010-03-24T11:25:00.000-04:00

Hey Y'all!! I know it's been a while... Thought I'd let you know you can find me

HERE!

;0)

I Leave You With This...

2009-09-23T06:00:00.001-04:00

This newlywed is saying goodbye.

As you all well know, I've been a bit like splattered raindrops lately. It's trickey, really, but this belle and her beau are going through some major life changes. Even though I'm an undomesticated newlywed and will likely never be a MckMama, I do have other tricks up my sleeve. Writing has always been my #1 passion, although I thoroughly love all things fluffy, fashionable and famous, I am not fully ~~satisfied~~ sassified and that makes Jane ~~Anna~~ a very dull girl.

Starting this blog was one of the best misadventures of a newlywed and I don't regret even one post. Being Brazen, I'll just tell you that this chapter of my life is over. Of course while this decision is indefinitely definite, I'm pretty sure it's what I need to do to pursue my dreams. While it seems I'll always be learning to be a wife and it's pretty obvious I'll never be a sassy engineer, which means I do need to open the doors that are knocking, so this prep-e girl is out of here.

Despite your good guesses, I'm not off to be a chic runner, a pink chick or a monogram chick and while the choice I've made is not a housewife's journey to forever or a charge to be thou a knight, it is does cause me to say that I must let go laughing as there are some really great things on the horizon. Of course, I could choose to become a cocaine princess or a preppy princess and really be classy and fabulous, but just ask wifey, I don't think I fit the bill ;0)

This journey I've taken going from Miss to Mrs has been a bit like running in stilettos and at times I thought it may lead me to be a Vodka-~~puppy~~ mom, but instead my blog sometimes reads like I'm in the sweet tea diaries of a misplaced northerner {someone should grab that title!} floating on in the adventures of Jon and Steph, except we're Dan and Anna, we're as different as a Hokie and a Wahoo and well, let's face it... just make mine a mojito.

As the saying goes... First comes love, then comes marriage and whelp! marriage has come. It's time for me to pull up my boot straps and get serious with my writing if I ever want a future in it. You see, I've been miss caught up with miss e's misadventures, Courtney and the boys and Jenny.Lee! These amazing blogs will be tremendously missed and the footprints they've left on my heart, not easily wiped away, for I will always ...love Maegan, adore blue eyed bride, and miss saskia's spot. Seriously! Withdraw may cause me to see polka dots and paisleys!!

But don't be too dismayed, you'll still be able to follow my Tales from the ~~country~~ Salti ~~roads~~ Peaks -- You can read my writing HERE and still get your fix. As sad as this is for me, all good things must come to an end, true? This is the reality of happily ever after, isn't it?

*****************************************

I hope you enjoyed that... it's been stirring in me a few days.

While blogging truly has been one of the greatest adventures of my life, it's time for me to buckle down and really write like I know I'm supposed to. Some of you may be wondering why I can't do both... Ever heard of "Jack of all trades, Master of none?" -- When I visit blog land I get so consumed with all of said above blogs; reading, commenting, responding, etc... by the time I'm finished, I find the passion I had to write fades for one reason or another. It's time to focus.

Like I said, I'll be writing here if you care to stop in from time to time... This is a place where I can write without worrying about followers, comments or criticism; I can focus solely on practicing my writing. With this, I've decided not to write my first book using modern day technology. I have pen and paper in hand and have been 'kickin' it old school'. I find the words flow more freely and I'm not able to edit what I originally felt.

I wish nothing but the best for each of you who've inspired me with your stories, touched me with your encouragement and uplifted my spirit with your wisdom, insight and sensitivities. I will likely be a "blog stalker" {I forget what that's officially called} when I need a good laugh or cry.

So much love to each of you my dear friends...

Trouble in In-Law Land?

2009-09-10T11:54:00.000-04:00

Well... go HERE -- Win this fabulous book and get your husband's loyalty !!!

CONGRATS!!

2009-09-08T14:23:00.000-04:00

.... to Running In Stilettos !!!

Thank you for being a follower and a great blogging friend!

You will receive:

One matted, 3 photo frame...

Filled with 3 of the following pix... {your choice!}

Fall for Followers

2009-09-07T10:53:00.000-04:00

*******************UPDATED: Seeing as I overlooked the small fact that today is Labor Day, I am postponing the winner until tomorrow :) If you're a follower, enter now!!!

HAPPY LABOR DAY !!!

Original Post:

It starts August 1st.

Which is ridiculous seeing as its the hottest month of the year.

Yet, I can't help it...

Visions of crisp blue skies, bright orange pumpkins, big yellow mums on porches and people in sweaters, jeans and boots. The feel of cool, clean air, the sight of bright red trees, the taste ~~I don't have a sense of smell~~ of hot apple pie and the sound of walking through fallen leaves.

Autumn

I live all year waiting for this season and it's right around the corner.

I told you I'd kick off my return with a giveaway and what a better way to celebrate my favorite season!?

If you've been following me for any length of time, you know I love photography -- I'm also starting a new challenge for myself {which of course will be blogged about later} and so this giveaway is very personal!

I'm giving away 3 of the following pictures {your choice}
framed in a black, 3 photo, matted frame {like this one :}

How to win:

I've been thinking over these last two weeks and have decided this giveaway is going to be exclusively for my followers. I love each of you simply for the fact that you read, comment, email, chat and enjoy the content of my blog!

So, really? How. do. I. win?

Answer me one question:

If the world stopped having seasons {that sounded very dramatic} tell me which season you'd want all year long and why?

That's it!

I'm totally celebrating you!

My amazing

awesome

wonderful

fabulous

followers!!

I will announce the winner Monday, Sept. 6th @ noon

3 weeks in pix

2009-09-03T09:34:00.000-04:00

So what have you been up to, Mrs. Realife?

Thanks for asking! I'm delighted to share :)

We watched thunderstorms...

and this baby bird grow up.

We made hamburgers for us... and Elly :)

We made...

...delicious,

homemade,

one of a kind,

Salsa :)

We drove through thunderstorms...

We picked fresh peaches...

and pears.

and "jarred" them.

Yum.

We laughed a lot.

... and made fresh crab cakes after crabbing and "gutting" them?
{I forget what you call it}

We sat on our front porch and photographed another storm.

Took more pix of the lighthouse.

and more pix...

of the rain.

We had summer BBQ's with friends...

and watch the sun set over the water.

Went to our local Art Festival...

and purchased a really neat center piece for our dining room.

And of course, last, but not least...
We taught Elly how to order fast food :)

What did you do these last 3 weeks while I've been gone?!

Featured Friday: She Rocks - I'm Rollin'

2009-08-14T06:50:00.000-04:00

I love featuring new bloggers -- I guess because I get to talk about people who I think just really rock.

This weeks ~~next couple weeks~~ Weekly Blog Love {click to see all my featured blogs} is a woman I've been following... well, for a long time, now. Her incredibly random thoughts maker her spontaneous and interesting and keep me coming back for more.

She's incredibly funny.

She literally makes me laugh out loud.

Taking road trips and visiting other cities is a hobby and reading about them is like reading a book. She's also features a freaking precious pup every now and then too.

She's...

Honest.

Life of a party.

Beautiful.

Open.

Makeup Artist.

Raw.

Cook.

Vulnerable.

Sincere.

oh, and doesn't talk bullshit.

How's THAT for a description?

She's... Ms. Salti !!!!

To add to all this fabulousness.... She's also holding a GIVEAWAY! It's for a gorgeous serving bowl perfect for ANY hostessing event ~~or a night when you're home alone and just want to eat everything in your cabinets because your depressed :)~~ Click HERE to enter!!

Go check her out... follower her and tell her I sent you!!

***********************************************

Now... for the Rolling part...

I need a break from blogging. It just so happens that the fabulous Ms. Salti mentioned that in her comment yesterday and I'm taking the advice because I need to regroup. I love writing. I love sharing my life. I love my readers. So I need a couple weeks to get my grove back after all I've been going through.

How about this? I'll be back with a bang in September featuring a giveaway -- You know how I love giveaways :) Fall will be right around the corner and I will be way inspired --

Love you all mucho - XOXO
and I'll see you in September...

20/20 Vision

2009-08-13T13:40:00.000-04:00

So after yesterday's post, I had several of you comment or email "What's a Vision Board?"

It's simple.

Yet incredibly powerful.

I was 29 years old, just got married, just graduated college, just moved to a small town and was exhausted. Finding a job and moving forward was very much in the windshield of my life, but the rear view mirror was still calling me.

I phoned every counseling agency in the phone book.

Twice.

Nothing.

I started to think I wasn't ever going to be a counselor and in desperation, began looking at independent sales, working from home, sort of businesses. Mr. Realife advised against it, but as my stubborn ass always seems to do, I did what I wanted.

$400 later and not much to show for it ~~and a couple of embarrassing stories later~~, I was stuck. in. a. rut.

At the time, I was still seeing my own counselor and told her a bit of what I was going through. She asked me a question that I'd asked myself a thousand times, but coming from her it just sounded different, "Anna, where are you going?"

She continued, explaining that our journey can't be aimless. We can't just say "Well, one day I want to, I hope to, I'm going to..." -- You actually have to make a plan, draw out a map and follow it. If you don't, you'll either 1.) never get there or 2.) it'll take you 10x's longer than it should have.

Over the next week, I wrote down what I wanted from my life. While I won't share those things, it was all inclusive - Personal , professional , financial , social , emotional, spiritual... the list goes on. I then cut out hundreds of pictures, words and phrases from magazines that represented my list of desires for my life. Mr. R looked at me sideways, but I didn't tell him what I was doing... this was for me.

I brought it back to her the next week and she said,

Every time you face a life issue, major decision or go through tough times,
you use this board to bring your life back into perspective.

Going home that night, I decided it was time to share this with my husband. While this life is my journey, I wanted to share with him where I was going.

With a few butterflies in my stomach, I sat him down and told him the story. He respected it. He knew that what I was telling him was important. What told me that was when he took it out of my hand and said "So the next time you want to sell ******, I get to pull this out and ask you if it fits in this plan?"

He got it and I love him for that.

Here's an example I found of a vision board.

Source

What's been goin' ON with that girl?

2009-08-12T11:45:00.001-04:00

If you've been reading, you know that there have been some interesting things taking place in my life -- Good? No. Exciting? Not exactly. Emotionally Draining? Yes. Opportunity to grow and move forward? Absolutely.

I have a vision board for my life. It's full of things I want to do personally, professionally, socially, financially, etc... I keep it there to remind me of the big picture of where I'm going with my life. When weeks like these last three go by, my board truly keeps me focused on the bigger picture.

As a passionate and sincere person in every area of my life, it's difficult when you work diligently to resolve a situation in "decency and order" and the whole thing blows up in your face. It's even more difficult to resolve stuff when people misconstrue things I've said, take things I've done the wrong way and the misrepresent me to others, especially when it's people you've trusted. Fuck.

In addition to this, it's even harder when what you're facing creates an association back to the worst time in your life.

Then it's devastating to realize you haven't yet fully dealt with the past.

I don't believe in living in the past...
but I do believe our present is effected by it.
So when it's effected, it's our job to revisit and resolve it.

I realize I'm being vague... Some things just can't be talked about. I'm sorry.

*****************************************************

On a completely different note...

My blog was originally started to help pull myself out of the "reality of married life" slums 5 months after I was hitched. Once I started writing, I quickly learned that being married was pretty funny and a joy to share it's ups and downs and virtually connected with a ton of amazing other married women.

These last couple weeks, I've very seriously considered deleting my blog and moving on from the virtual world. On top of the other things said above, a few things happened where I felt very vulnerable to judgment. My heart would never be to hurt, offend or demean anyone through this blog.

On the other hand, it is not my responsibility to babysit anyone's feelings, each person, just as I am for myself, is responsible for their own reactions to not only my blog, but anyone else's blog and for that matter... anything else going on in their life! If you stop following me because I haven't commented on your blog or featured you on a Friday, I have to be honest in saying you may want to look inward at why you take things so personally... I can bet it's not just my blog you deal with these feelings.

So... let's play adults and communicate! :)

I digress...

With all that shitty stuff aside... I can't tell you what each of your responses to my post on Monday did for me in encouraging me to continue with my blog! I believe my life's purpose is to inspire, encourage and motivate others, so telling me that I've done just that for you INSPIRES, ENCOURAGES and MOTIVATES ME!!

I'll leave you with this...

...Because sometimes you need to remember what matters.

Safety Zone

2009-08-07T12:23:00.000-04:00

************************ This is a post I wrote when I very first started my blog back in April of 08'. It's a little deep for Friday, but with some of the stuff I'm going through right now, the safety I have in my husband means so much. So, I'm reposting this one as most of you likely haven't read it. Enjoy and happy Friday!

For all you sports fans, you clearly know what the safety zone is. For those of you who aren't, I'll tell you about my safety zone -- To the side of my blog it ~~used to state~~ states that I will "Laugh, cry with you on this blog..." and I kept wondering when I'd write something about me crying, I mean, that's a little personal, right? Truth is, life is personal... your marriage is personal... your heart and what you're facing is personal and if what I face helps anyone, then I'll put my personal stuff out there --

With a knot in my throat and the heavy beat of my heart pounding in my ears, I'll tell you about my dad. When people say "he's the best dad in the world" I know they haven't met my dad. He really is the best dad in the world. My mother left us when I was 18 months old and my father worked 3 jobs to support us... he didn't leave. Growing up he used to play "Rainy Days on Mondays" when I would cry and he watched Land Before Time with me a thousand times. He would take me to work with him and tell me I was the best helper in the world (he laid tile... not sure how a six year old could help, but I was the best). On the weekends he'd take us to the beach and play with me in the ocean for hours on end... I always felt safe, even in the midst of the mightiness of the ocean. And every night before bed he'd say "don't let the bed bugs bite" and today, if we talk at night, he still does. He always knows what to say and never says what he knows I can't handle. He is the best dad in the world and my ever present safety zone.

Since the time I can remember I've had nightmares that my dad had died. When I married Mr. Realife, it was almost a bitter sweet day as I understood he would now be 'the man' in my life. It takes time to build that unbending trust, especially when it comes to sensitive issues such as my nightmares. We are brand new in our marriage and I had my first nightmare with him there on Monday. I didn't know how he was going to react.

As I always have, I woke up shaking and sobbing and had to call my dad. His voice would assure me things were OK. There I stood on our back porch, at 5:00 in the morning, sobbing on the phone to my dad. Mr. R walks out with a really puzzled look on his face. I was a bit embarrassed {and now annoyed at myself} and shewed him away. He didn't leave. He stood waiting patiently and with empathy in his eyes.

I hung up and he asked what happened. Through my blubbering and blowing my nose I explained and he listened. Pretending he could understand what I was saying, he led me back to the bedroom. Without a word he got in bed, pulled the covers up, pulled me into his arms and held me until I fell asleep... For the first time, I knew I had a safety zone in this amazing man that I married.

life shit goes on...

2009-08-06T10:08:00.000-04:00

Hello all of my incredibly amazing and lovely readers...

Some things are going on right now that are preventing me from posting -- more about it later, but I'm thinking of you all and can't wait to catch up!!

PLEASE send positive thoughts and prayers my way :)

How about I leave you with a cute picture of little miss Elly Mae to cheer us all up :)

Tuesday Talk: Freakin' Genius

2009-08-04T13:25:00.000-04:00

****ETA: Thanks to "Anonymous", who I just love with all my heart, ~~shoot me for lying~~ the story below is "false" and well... I'm all about "reality" on this blog, so I'm telling you up front it's been "Snoped" as false -- either way... who the hell knew you could make so much money off a parking lot?!

Original post:

Sorry this isn't going to be informative, deep or even very insightful... but it sure as hell was a shocker to read, so I'm sharing.

Saskia... this one's for you:

From The London Times:

A Well-Planned Retirement

Outside England's Bristol Zoo there is a parking lot

for 150 cars and 8 buses. For 25 years, its

parking fees were managed by a very pleasant

attendant. The fees were £1 for cars ($1.40),

£5 for buses (about $7).

Then, one day, after 25 solid years of never missing

a day of work, he just didn't show up; so the Zoo

Management called the City Council and asked it

to send them another parking agent.

The Council did some research and replied that the

parking lot was the Zoo's own responsibility.

The Zoo advised the Council that the attendant was

a City employee.

The City Council responded that the lot attendant

had never been on the City payroll.

Meanwhile, sitting in his villa somewhere on the coast of Spain

(or some such scenario), is a man who'd apparently had a

ticket machine installed completely on his own; and then

had simply begun to show up every day, commencing

to collect and keep the parking fees, estimated at about

$560 per day -- for 25 years.

Assuming 7 days a week, this amounts to just over

$7 million dollars!
.....
And no one even knows his name.

new bra = new woman

2009-08-03T11:47:00.003-04:00

I'm not really inspired to do Not Me's today, so you're going to get some random musings on this ~~wretched~~ glorious Monday :)

Random Musings deserves a random pic, right? I wish I were here today.

I started my morning routine as usual when I come into the office by making coffee and washing out coffee cups ~~from last week~~ -- I totally proved to myself that I don't have a sense of smell seeing as 15 minutes later I discovered that our sewage system had thrown up in my toilet -- awesome.

I think my butt is actually getting BIGGER since doing The Shred -- I've always just thought that I had a flat butt... but me thinks not -- This is doing wonders for my wardrobe seeing as I'm filling out my pants more. Um... er, yeah.
******** ETA: Thanks to Becky's Comment.... I felt I should add, my whole body isn't getting bigger! LOL -- JUST MY BUTT!!! I've actually lost quite a few inches in other areas! I just think the muscles in my butt are building and I now officially have a butt that you can acutally see! I didn't want to discourage anyone from doing The Shred... It's transformed my body and still is!

I've sucked at commenting lately. Sorry to all my amazing bloggy friends -- I will hopefully get back in my grove. I miss you!

I'm taking little Miss Elly Mae to the "spa" today. Nails clipped. Nails painted. Body washed. Baby powder applied. Bows in hair. Pix to come later! {p.s. - we wash Elly every week... but since she's going, I'm having them do that, too... I'm not a bad mommy}

I went to Target this weekend! It's totally an even to go seeing as it's a half hour away. I spent 2 glorious hours roaming the isles of this glorious store. Only spent $58.00 so I was proud of myself!

I promised pix of my new office like 3 years ago! The reason you haven't gotten them is because I'm OCD about how it needs to look before the big reveal! Sorry.

I got a new bra and I'm a brand new woman ~~no, I am not bra deprived, I just happened to have one that I love with all my heart and you can read here that it died last week~~

I know I've talked about my mom a few times on this blog. {pieces of it are here and here} Today, I'm missing her. :(

Happy Monday all !!
Make it a great week!

chillin'

2009-08-01T07:00:00.000-04:00

I was on my way to Wal-mart when I saw this...

Who knew a horse could be a bird's best friend :)

Only. in. the country.

Foto Friday: Marley Elly Mae and Me

2009-07-31T12:04:00.001-04:00

We live in the woods and in the woods, cute things happen...

Tuesday, when I arrived home from work, I let Elly out as I always do. Mr. R was headed to the barn to feed the animals, and as is her tradition, she bolted like lightening to follow him.

Not paying attention, I kept hearing this squawking bird and then realized Elly was pouncing back and forth like a boxer around something... Unbeknown to me, she was interrogating this baby bird!

I believe it's a Green Herion b/c we have a lot of these around... poor thing must have fallen out of its nest!!

Seems Elly was moving too fast for me to catch a good shot, but she was being nice to the baby -- I think it was more freaked out by my shoving a large, black, loud, clicking thing in her face, but it was important that I documented the whole cute scene! Aren't you glad I did?? :)

Sweet baby... I hope she's OK!

On another note... last weekend I went over to Raleigh to see my Sister, Brother and SIL and my 7 nieces and nephews --

I heart them.
The Adults.
Kids.
Praying to the god of swimming.
What nice ears you have.
Auntie, Anne... STOP TAKING PICTURES!
What would swimming be if I didn't bite my tube?
Come on! JUMP!
Mama... I'll rub your head and make you feel better.
Can't you see I'm having a private moment!?
One. more. piece.

What?

I'm gettin' outta here.

Auntie Anne with all the kiddos.

I ALSO heart FRIDAYS!!!
Have a fabulous weekend!

Sometimes Being a Woman Rocks

2009-07-30T07:00:00.001-04:00

My 1st car was a 1984, Red, 2 Door, Hatchback, Standard, Honda Civic. I'm not sure if it's because I just never paid attention or that I didn't care, but I went my entire first year driving it without changing the oil. I had no idea that this was needed every 3 - 5,000 miles.

It died suddenly on the side of the road, never to be resurrected.

My 2nd car was a 1986 ~~I was moving up in the world~~, Silver Blue, 4 door, Hatchback, Fully Loaded, Automatic, Dodge ~~somethingorother~~ - I drove it one year, changed the oil and kept gas in it.

I should have kept this car because it ran well, was incredibly comfortable and was paid for but ~~I was a car snob~~ I wanted something a little more... um, 20 y/o-ish...

...So, I traded it in for my 3rd car. A 1996, White, 4 Door, Tan interior, Fully Loaded, ~~no hatchback~~ Standard, Volkswagen Jetta - My. Absolute. Dream. of a car. I loved this car. I changed its oil, washed it, vacuumed it, and drove it into the ground in 5 years.

This leads me to my 4th car. A 2005, Silver, 4 door, Hatchback ~~I'm starting to see a pattern~~, Almost fully loaded, Standard, Scion XB. Yes. That's that little milkman truck, safari car, box on wheels thingy. I'm not really sure what I was going for here other than a reasonable car payment and some security that my car wouldn't break down in the middle of nowhere as I was traveling a lot that summer. I drove it for 2 years and after a year of dating Mr. R, he convinced me I needed to trade it in while I could still get a decent trade-in price on it. And I did.

Lastly? My 5th car. A 2007, White, 2 door, Black interior, Fully Loaded, Hatchback, Automatic, Volkswagen Rabbit. I've decided I'm a serious VW girl. They are sporty, easy to drive, durable and fun cars. I take pretty good care of it... Oil is always changed at 5,000 miles {even though the kind of oil that was used says I can go 10,000}, I don't clean it as often as I'd like... but that's life.

Anyhow...

I had my first 5 oil changes done for free by VW as this was part of the deal. It would cost me $80.00 to have the dealership change it and well... I thought it would be easier if I bought the stuff and Mr. Realife did it. Not so much.

I bought the oil from Sam's Club and thought I was set. Mr. R informed me I needed an oil filter, too, so I went to Ace Hardware ~~I'm not kidding~~ and asked if they had one. They were incredibly polite ~~at least to my face~~ and said that I'd need to go to an automotive store.

Napa was across the street, so I mosied {we mosey in small towns} on over. The line was long, but I went in with my game face on now. With men everywhere, I didn't want to look like an idiot, so I stood there looking like I knew exactly what I was doing and what I was there for.

After standing in line for 20 minutes, I was summoned to the register. I folded my hands in front of me and set them on the counter and said in my most serious voice I need a Fuel Filter. He diligently looked on the computer to see if they had that part and he looked at me with a disappointed glare. I'm sorry ma'am, we don't have any in stock.

With my pride a little hurt ~~again~~ and a little taken aback that such a large automotive center did not have what I needed, I replied I'm really shocked you don't have such a common necessity for a car! I've waited 20 minutes really hoping you'd have this item. He apologized and after giving me another referral, I sort of pouted my way out the door.

Feeling distraught and ~~really~~ slightly annoyed, I walked into the new Automotive Store {name is slipping my mind}. Not. a. person. in. sight. -- The very kind looking man stood behind the counter smiling How can I help you, Ma'am? Humbled by my last two experiences, I finally let my gaurd down and just asked I need to get my oil changed and I need a Fuel Filter, do you have one of those?

He grinned and said I think what you mean, is do I have a OIL filter.

I think I died a little on the inside that day ~~and so did my husband~~.

I think I'll stick to counseling.

Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner!!

2009-07-29T11:17:00.000-04:00

Um... yeah. Not so much a chicken dinner...

But -- how about a $30 GIFT CARD to an AMAZING STORE!!!

Recap: Living Rooms Direct, who not only sells fantastic Living Room Furniture, but also has a line of accessories to die for {notNeutral} offered an incredibly generous $30 gift card to one of my amazing readers!!!

Who... you ask, is that amazing reader!!??

A NEW FOLLOWER!!!

SHOOTING STARS MAG!!!

I've been looking through her blog and she's LOTS of fun!! She discusses all the new movies, books and Hollywood stars!!

Thanks for your well wishes yesterday... I'm feeling much better, thank you!!!

Thank you to ALL of my amazing followers being so great!!! Look for MORE giveaways, funny stories and Tuesday talks to come :)

so sorry

2009-07-28T18:01:00.000-04:00

I know I said I'd announce the winner today.

I was sick today and the internet was the last thing on me mind.

will. post. tomorrow.

Thinking of you all brings a smile to my face :)

I leave you with a cute pic of Elly in hopes you'll forgive me...

Not Me... Never Me Monday

2009-07-27T07:00:00.003-04:00

First and foremost... Stellan is back in the hospital -- My heart is sad and yet, as always, hopeful for what God has for this precious baby -- Please pray, send good thoughts, say positive words or whatever your fancy is, he needs them --

With that... I think we need a little funny, don't you?? Well... I did not do some pretty insane things this week, so hold on to your panties.

Not Me Monday was created by MckMama -- It's an opportunity to get a little therapy for all those things you would never do, but did :) Click here for all the rules.

I did not eat ice cream for lunch x's 2 this week

I did not add chips and drink to round 2.

In addition to this... I did not eat chips and salsa for lunch one day and for dinner another.

~~I am no longer wondering why I haven't lost any inches on my hips~~

I did not skip cooking dinner for my ~~neglected~~ sweet and understanding husband every night this week. Oh. Except Sunday... :)

This was not one of my worst weeks ever.

I'm not an emotional eater.

i am not.

i am not.

i am not.

Friday my bra was not sticking me in the side from escaping under-wire -- It hurt so badly by 3:30... I did not take off my bra at work and ~~steal~~ borrow our receptionist hoodie she so conveniently left on the back of her chair to cover up my braless chest. That would be ridiculous.

Speaking of hips... I have not been measuring the wrong part of my hips as my "hips" and thinking I just wasn't losing any inches. Not me. I'm not 31 years old and just now learning what part of my body to measure as my hips. seriously. not. me.

Just a few more pix to convince you he's worth a minute of your time today ~~because I'm just cruel like that~~

Of course ALL pix by MckMama

NOT that you needed convincing :)

YOU HAVE TIL NOON TO ENTER

MY GIVEAWAY!!

Have a HAPPY Monday

i just love her...

2009-07-26T07:00:00.000-04:00

I was innocently going through my day when...

2009-07-25T07:00:00.000-04:00

... I opened my glove box and fast food napkins attacked me.

Ever have an "aha" moment??

This was mine for the week.

Not. Good.

Featured Friday: Indefinitely Definite

2009-07-24T10:54:00.000-04:00

To date, this has been one of my worst weeks in the last 5 years. All I can say is thank you for your "virtual" hugs and love – They were received and I felt them from my head to my toes...

With this… none of you need to hear my boo hooing – So, I’m going to post about my most loved blog this week and try and work through my Reader List {I’ve MISSED Y’ALL!!!}

Without further ado… This blogger has truly touched my heart on more than one occasion. With her love for people from all walks of life, I’ve learned a thing or two about seeing the world a little bit differently. I love anyone who challenges my mind to think creatively and continue to be positive in the midst of a lot of stress.

I followed her through her journey of becoming healthier in body and she is as beautiful as can be. She has a deep love for her family and her new wife and I always look forward to hearing about what they've been up to. I enjoy her uplifting posts and reading about all the fun she has with concerts, girls nights out and spending time with her nieces and nephews.

If you EVER need inspiration, a good cry because your heart's been touched or a smile on a bad day... please visit:

ANNE over at Indefinitely Definite

You are an incredibly beautiful person and
you've inspired me to have more love for people... Thank you.

If you haven't already...
be sure to enter for a
$30 Gift Card to Living Rooms Direct

Happy Friday Lovelies!!!!

Thank You and Giveaway :)

2009-07-22T12:35:00.000-04:00

**********UPDATED: CONTEST NOW CLOSED! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR ENTRIES!! WINNER TO BE ANNOUNCED TOMORROW, JULY 28th :)

Yesterday was the one of the worst days I've had in a very. long. time. -- Your "virtual" hugs brought tears to my eyes... thank you, each and every one of you.

Today is a NEW day! I love how that happens every 24 hours :) and well... what better way to kick off this day than with a giveaway!

*********************************

A fantastic Living Room Furniture company contacted me and would love to offer my readers either an item equaling up-to $30 or a $30 gift card toward the purchase of something you love!!

While of course they sell furniture, there is a fabulous collection I've been browsing called notNeutral -- It includes a plethora of preppy and modern home accents and accessories perfect for the summer season!!!

A couple of items I'm eying:

Bar Set

Spice Set

Serving Bowl

How to Enter:

2 entries: Follow Me
3 entries: Follow Me on Twitter
5 entries: POST about this giveaway
{of course let me know what you've done!}

{if you referred the person who wins,
you'll receive a
SENSATIONAL SUMMER
prize from ME!}

Giveaway will end Monday, July 27th @ NOON!
Winner to be announced later that day :)

need a hug

2009-07-21T18:29:00.000-04:00

Do you ever have a day when you don't need words, you don't need a listening ear, you don't even need a drink...

you just need a hug?

today is that day for me.

How ironic that when I was able to get on internet for the first time today, this post was at the top of my blog roll.

Thank you, Anne.

Not My Child Fur Baby Monday!!!

2009-07-20T13:34:00.000-04:00

Not Me Monday with a twist ~~and then another twist if you're without child like me~~ -- MckMama's mixin' it up this week! Click here for details!

If you follow my tweets, you'll know we have NO internet today!! I did NOT drive home at work to finish my NOT ME post!!

So... what would Elly Mae never do???

First and foremost... Elly would never have learned how to knock on the door when she wants to come in. She finds anything she can, picks it up with her mouth and throws it against the glass door. Once she knocks, she does not stand on her hind legs and beg. Apparently she's impatient, too... if we don't come the first time, she does not bang one of her toys insistently on the back door until we do come and let her in. Not Elly :)

Elly Mae thinks ~~has been taught by her mommy and daddy~~ that she is a princess. She does not prance everywhere she goes, she has not taken over the back porch and she most definitely has not manipulated her way into convincing her daddy that she needs to be in our bed at night... There's no way those puppy dog eyes work on Mr. R... Ahem. :)

Elly was practically born in a car. She l.o.v.e.s. to go for rides. Being the ~~spoiling~~ parents that we are, we took her fishing the other day because we knew she would simply like the car ride. Of course we stopped at Subway and got a Foot Long Italian Sub and then made another stop to get some bait. There is no way our little 7 lb. bundle of sweetness would eat 6 whole inches of our sub in approximately 9 minutes. I mean clearly this would be impossible.

There ~~was~~ is a lovely set of furniture on our back porch... Our sweet baby would never sit and chew on the corners while Mr. R and I are at work... She's too precious to do something so naughty. Good thing she didn't or daddy would be super mad and make her stay in her crate from now on... Poor baby :)

Oh, yeah... and there's absolutely, unequivocally, no way Elly drives... Not this Fur Baby!!

Hope you enjoyed!

In All It's Glory...

2009-07-18T07:00:00.000-04:00

I give you...

The White Peach

Photo Source

Photo Source
Photo source

I discovered this delicious, succulent, divine
piece of fruit last year ~~because clearly I live under a rock~~
whilst trying out new foods...

It is crispy like an apple, but sweet like a peach.

I cannot get enough of it.

Clearly.

Freakin' Delish.

one more thing...

2009-07-17T09:12:00.000-04:00

... that inspired me.

I put on my ~~pants that fit like a vice grip~~ skinny pants this morning and they slid on...

who.

doesn't.

love.

that?

:)

Foto Friday: This One's For Me

2009-07-17T07:00:00.001-04:00

So, it's 4:09 a.m. and I can't sleep... sadly, I've had so much anxiety tonight, I can't sleep for the first time in months.

Anyhoo -- I need inspiration, so I thought I'd show you a few pix I've been taking on my lunches recently. Enjoy...

The Crate Myrtles are simply gorgeous this time of year.

A bank downtown

An old lighthouse on the water.

Fabulous Restaurant Down Town

Who doesn't love outdoor seating on a late summer evening?

I love the old architecture...
people took such pride in their work.

Happy Friday...
Hope your weekend is
simply fabulous :)

Tuesday Talk: Friend or Folly?

2009-07-16T10:03:00.002-04:00

I can't believe I'm even going to give this ridiculous show a thought on my blog, but it fits my purpose today.

Jon and Kate + 8

AKA: Modern day entertainment.

What a shame.

Just a couple days ago, pictures donned of Jon with a 22 y/o ~~girl~~ woman who is the daughter of the surgeon who gave Kate her tummy tuck. ~~That sentence alone should tell you why I hate this shit~~

When the ~~ridiculousness~~ story appeared on the Today Show two mornings ago, I said to Mr. Realife That ought to tell you something right there.

Not understanding, he asked what I meant and I explained that if under 3 weeks from the time they filed for divorce he's flaunting another woman, not taking her out to a simple dinner, but gallivanting the French Riviera with this chic, that says something about what he had been doing prior to their separation!

He said Well, she was a bitch to him! Everyone knows that! Without a lot of hesitation, I whipped my head around and said No one deserves to be cheated on. Jon made a choice to stay in a relationship in which he wasn't happy. If he didn't like the way he was being treated, it was his responsibility to speak up. Cheating is for cowards.

Mr. R doesn't argue with me on relationship issues. He sort of looked at me like I'd grown another head and said OK, I didn't realize you were so passionate about the whole subject.

I'm not.

I'm passionate about relationships.
I'm passionate about people's hearts.
I'm passionate about people's lives.
I'm passionate about people's feelings.

There have been so many discussions lately on television as to what accounts as cheating:

Sex?

Dinner out?

Time alone?

Long talks on the phone?

Gifts?

I don't think there's one answer... but I do have one 'measuring' stick:

If I wouldn't do or say {this} while my spouse was watching/listening,
it's likely cheating.

I get the question all the time: But why isn't it OK to have friends of the opposite sex?

No one said it wasn't OK.

But if you're using the friend label as a crutch to escape whatever issues you need to deal with in your marriage... it is not OK.

I have a male friend I've known since 11th grade. He has a lot of fantastic qualities and I thoroughly enjoy him as a friend. I never have conversations with him that I wouldn't have right in front of Mr. R. I enjoy our conversations just as I would enjoy the conversation of a good girlfriend.

I don't spend all day looking forward to or thinking about a conversation with him.

When I say he's a friend, he's just that.

This post sort of ties in with this Tuesday Talk post. Cheating, in my opinion, is getting emotional or sexual needs met through another person. Period.

Mr. Realife and I have talked before about emotional cheating. We are both in agreement that it's worse. We made a vow to each other before God that we are committed to each other. So bringing in a third party to meet deep needs without your spouses knowledge is cheating.

It's not fair to be hiding something behind their back.
You don't offer them the opportunity to fix it.

OK... I want to open this up for discussion:

What do you think about emotional cheating?

What do you think constitutes as cheating?

Have you dealt with this? How did you deal with it?

Puppy Love...

2009-07-15T14:19:00.000-04:00

Iamin

love
withthese
two
puppies

and
so

is he :)

Blog Hop: Things You Don't Know About Me

2009-07-14T07:00:00.001-04:00

There's a lot I tell about myself on this blog, so when the theme for the blog hop this week was "3 things you don't know about me" I got a little worried... and then? I remembered... a few subjects I never talk about.

#1 I don't believe in organized religion.

Why is it that when I wrote that I could hear the gasps from all around the United States... seriously.

I can only imagine the emails and comments I'm going to receive on this one...

#2 I don't diet.

Never have. Never will. except those two weeks I ate all meat or something or other until my guts hurt It's my firm belief that as soon as you say "I'm on a diet" that's all you think about --

Food doesn't mean that much to me to be the only thing on my mind all day! If I feel I need to drop a couple pounds, I just cut back how much I'm eating. Period.

Exercise, on the other hand, I believe in wholeheartedly. You can check out my Shred updates here!

#3 The most important item in my home is my... bed.

~~Get your head out of the gutter :)~~

I truly believe that the rest you get at night fuels you for everything you have to do during your day to be successful in mind, body, soul and spirit.

Shred It: Day 30

2009-07-13T11:36:00.001-04:00

I can't tell you what your encouragement means to me. I'm someone who really "feels love" through words... so thank you so much :)

Y'all rock.

So let's just say the last 10 days weren't as successful as the first 20 days. As ~~I'm pointing out~~ you can see, it's been 13 days since I did my 20 day update...

July 4th weekend + visit from my monthly friend = Me no work out for 3 days :)

BUT! I did finish "10 days" of Level 3 and here are my results:

Day 1:

Waist: 31" Hips: 37" Thighs: 22.5

Day 10:

Waist: 30.5" Hips: 36.5" Thighs: 22"

Day 20:

Waist: 29" Hips: 36.5" Thighs: 21.5"

Day 30:

Waist: 29" Hips: 36.5" Thighs: 21.5"

Can you believe I had NO change? Yeah. Me either.

On the other hand... I feel amazing. I definitely look different and my clothes ~~don't look like I bought them 10 yeas ago~~ are fitting better.

Mr. Realife is not a free compliment giver. When he says something positive, it's from his heart, which always makes what he says that much more a treasure. He said about 5 days ago You know, I'm really seeing a difference in your muscle tone and your stomach looks great.

While a compliment like that isn't the reason I did the 30 Day Shred, it certainly kept me going.

What's next?

The 30 Day Shred: Round 2

Why?

Because I'm still not where I want to be. I have a small frame and I know where it should be -- I'm thinking my goal is:

Waist: 28" Hips: 35.5" Thighs: 20.5"

I don't think that's too much to ask for, do you?

Not Me Monday!

2009-07-13T09:56:00.001-04:00

As you can see... Not Me Monday got a makeover! Like it?

Not Me Monday was created by MckMama -- It's an opportunity to get a little therapy for all those things you would never do, but did :) Click here for all the rules.

It's been a few weeks since I've done Not Me... Not because I haven't done anything worthy... just haven't had time!

So... we had steak, corn on the cob and rolls for dinner last night ~~no I did not forget to mention the vegetable, we're just unhealthy like that~~ -- I did not state 2x's during this fabulous southern dinner This is good eatin'! and when finished Mr. Realife said That was great! I definitely did not reply with You ain't kiddin'! and immediately say I am NOT a redneck! Oh... what is North Carolina doing to me?!

Sometimes work can be ~~like beating myself in the head with a hammer~~ grueling -- It's my guess that this is why I did not go home from work one day last week only to realize I'd left my purse, phone, planner and food all at the office. This should be a sign of something... just not sure what!

I'm moving offices at work. It's nice because I'm all the way at the other end of the hallway. The noise level is cut in half, at least and that's nice for my clients. Apparently not good for the other counselors... because I was not laughing so hard that one of them stuck their head out the door and asked that I be quiet. I was not completely mortified and I did not go into my office with the woman I was laughing with and giggle like I was 13 years old! ~~I'm guessing that's what stress can do to a person?~~

I do not have to get to work!

HAPPY MONDAY!!!
and
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MCKMAMA!!!!

Featured Friday: $7 on the 7th

2009-07-10T09:17:00.000-04:00

It seems these days, everywhere you turn there is a cause...

"Help Cure Cancer"

"Save the Whales"

"March of Dimes"

"Autism"

"Breast Cancer"

Each and every cause we can all roll off our tongues faster than we can our siblings names, was started and continues today because somehow, sometime, somewhere it affected someone personally and on a deep level.

With this, some have become so large, I never seem to know where to start giving, believe that my gift will be so insignificant or feel as though I don't ever see the practical/real results from what I've given... so I don't give.

I wrote a post on Tuesday -- You'll want to read it as it will give you context for this cause I'm featuring today...

The Liz Logelin Foundation is one of the most practical and yet powerful I've seen.

They help financially assist families who are dealing the death of a spouse, life-partner or parent as they struggle to move forward without their greatest love and support.
Simple. As. That.

I know that I have a lot of readers who are pregnant, new parents or even seasoned parents. If {God forbid} you or your spouse were to die suddenly... how would that affect you/them financially? Your baby{ies} would still need to be clothed, feed and have a roof over their heads, right?

This foundation helps make sure that happens.

They have an incredibly witty way of donating --

"$7 on the 7th"

It's $7 on the 7th day of each month -- As stated on the site, "What's $7... a couple of Latte's?" ~~1 and 1/2 if you order my drink~~ -- But $7 to a parent who's just lost their spouse could mean formula for their baby, diapers, a descent and comfortable crib sheet, a coat for winter... you know all the needs children have. $7 isn't much, but when we're all giving $7, it meets a MIGHTY need.

I gave my first $7 this past Tuesday -- Go here and give your first $7

4th Firworks, Fun and Freedom

2009-07-08T14:23:00.002-04:00

Mr. Realife's father passed away 2 years ago on the 4th, so we are making it a point to do something in memory of him each year. As you saw here, Mr. Realife and I ventured to DC for the 4th weekend -

What an adventure!! So many things going on and SO many people. While I lived 10 years in the Philadelphia area, I don't seem to remember it ever being so crowded. So... without further ado, here are pix from our weekend.

Our Beautiful Hotel:
The Westin in Downtown Alexandria, VA

We took the Metro everywhere which left us walking
~~about 12 miles in 2 days~~ - My feet/legs were so sore by Monday,
I could hardly walk from the bed to the bathroom...
I guess wearing flip flops was not smart :)

We, of course, visited our Capital and the Washington Memorial
We also visited the Lincoln Memorial and took pix of
~~Mr. Realife's~~ our favorite states.

We visited so many museums,
I couldn't even tell you which ones they were.
I do know we loved the museum of American history
and saw Dorthy's red slippers and Archie's chair
where he would discuss political/racial issues with his wife.
Thinking back to that show,
I'm taken aback at some of the content!!

We also visited the Air and Space Museum where we saw
The Write Brother's first plane... Because we live near the OBX,
Mr. Realife loves the whole history of their journey
and how Kitty Hawk, NC is where they flew the first airplane.

The architecture of the buildings overwhelmed us.
The History of American Indians building
was absolutely breathtaking.
We really enjoyed this museum, too.
The truths behind their history are
astonishing and heart breaking.

Probably the most touching event was visiting the

Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Mr. Realife was able to find his
Uncle who died there the year he was born.
Just seeing this wall brought me chills.

This is me being silly...
I got such a kick out of this reflection wall - HA!

Dinner in Alexandria, VA - This town is so incredibly quaint!
Sort of reminded me of Annapolis, MD -- We walked around
and looked at all the shops, but didn't spend nearly the
amount of time I wanted to there... a good reason to go back :)

Just a few other shots from the weekend :)

p.s. -- YES! We watched fireworks...
NO! I didn't get ANY pix of them! UGH!

MckLinky Blog Hop: Favorite Photo

2009-07-07T16:42:00.000-04:00

On a lighter note from this mornings post...

After my last giveaway, I was totally pumped about finding SO many amazing bloggers out there! I have LOVED meeting the new women and getting excited with them for all the things happening in their lives. As you know, I'm an avid fan of MckMama -- She and Brent Riggs have come up with a new link system "MckLinky" and as a way to meet new bloggers, they're hosting a BLOG HOP. This week? Favorite Photo. I only have a few personal photos on my computer at work, but of those... this is my favorite:

Elly Mae - 5 weeks

Want to join? Link up below!!

Tuesday Talk: Remembering When

2009-07-07T11:44:00.002-04:00

Warning: Tears may be jerked ~~and curse words to be read~~

Since I was old enough to understand what death was, I feared my father would die.

Why?

This would leave me alone.

He is the only person I have ever had in my life who I knew beyond a doubt loved me unconditionally. He didn't want to leave me, he provided for me, he listened to me. He wanted me.

When I met Mr. Realife, it took me a while realize I had another man in my life who loved me without conditions. The familiar sense of security flooded my soul when I was with him.

So did another feeling.

The fear he would die.

With Professional Counseling as my profession, I get all the reasons I fear the death of those I love the most. Yet, as a vulnerable human being, those feelings are not easily controlled.

About 3 weeks ago I came across a blogger who's story has truly strengthened the relationship I have with Mr. Realife. Matt Logelin is a single father of a precious 15 month old baby girl, Madeline.

I read innocently, really. Thinking What a sweet father and Oh! Look at his photography! Being the sap I am for single fathers, as was mine, I kept reading. and reading. and reading. My heart grew heavier and heavier, but I kept reading.

He was married to a woman who was clearly a shining light. Blond. Blue eyed. Beautiful. From the inside, out. Matt and Liz dated since high school and were married 3 years when they found out they were pregnant with Madeline. Life was perfect. The day of Madeline's birth came and all were happy. Liz needed to stay in bed for 24 hours due to some medical issues and when that waiting period was up, she went to see her daughter for the first time. She got out of bed, walked to the door, felt light headed and collapsed. You can read what happened here.

I sat and read about my greatest fear happening to someone else.

What the fuck.

Not only did he lose the love of his life, but he now has a daughter to raise all. by. himself. He had to go on. He didn't get the luxury of taking time off to mourn. He had a brand new baby to feed, clothe, love.

I said all of that to say this:

So often we go through our days thinking about everything that doesn't really matter.

We remember how our husband wasn't very loving this morning or remembering that our wife wasn't thoughtful enough to remember to pack our favorite snack. We remember how our husband always wants to watch his shows instead of ours or how our wife seems to always be blogging instead of paying attention to us. We remember how our husband doesn't bring us flowers or our wife doesn't keep the dishes clean. We remember how our husband leaves his underwear everywhere but the laundry basket and how our wife is always late because she has to fix her coffee.

We remember all the shit that doesn't matter.

On the other hand, while I haven't experienced this loss, I bet that all that 'shit' above, is the stuff we'll miss the most when they're gone.

I would do anything to see her dishes in the sink.

If only I had his underwear to pick up.

To hear the sound of his shows playing in the background would ease my pain.

I wish she were sitting next to me blogging away about our lives.

You know, I would bring him flowers if he were here.

Who cares if we are late, I just want to watch her making coffee one more time.

I don't encourage anyone to sit around and fear their spouse might be gone tomorrow.

But I do encourage you to think beyond your own nose today. I know Matt's story has changed the way I remember Mr. Realife. His story has strengthened my love for him. His story has opened my eyes to what matters and what doesn't. His story has inspired me to be a better wife and to be grateful for every moment I have with him.

Today. Remember the small things. Remember the way he smiles at you. Remember the way she laughs at your jokes. Remember the way they order their food, ask you how your day was or get excited over nothing. Remember their thoughtfulness, remember their idiosyncrasies, remember their noises. Remember the color of their eyes, the smell of their body, the sound of their voice. Remember what matters.

Everyday. Remember when.

We Are Here

2009-07-04T06:00:00.001-04:00

Enjoying a glorious 4th weekend away from
~~all the bullshit of life~~ everything familiar.

We'll be spending our time watching these:
Picture Source

Traveling by way of...
Walking downtown here...
Picture Source

Visiting a lot of these...
Picture Source

All whilst drinking of a lot of...
Picture Source

HAPPY 4th OF JULY!!!
Thank you to ALL who serve our country!

SUMMER GIVEAWAY WINNER!!!

2009-07-03T12:10:00.000-04:00

So so sad that I didn't think this through... but I don't want to renege on my promise to announce the winner today -- It's just that it's a HOLIDAY weekend! Duh.

FIRST AND FOREMOST!!!! Thank you SO much for all of your blog love!!! The support I've received for the 30 Day Shred is OUT OF THIS BLOG WORLD ;0) Thank you for all of your compliments on our home... we are delighted to share it with you --

And lastly... but DEFINITELY not least -- I have 35 more followers than I did 5 days ago! Thank you SOOOO much for following me! I feel it's a privilege to have your "follow" and want to keep you coming back ;0)

OK... I know, on with it ;0)

As I've done with all my giveaways, I entered each name {as many times as they entered for} into Random.org {YES! Even those who entered at the last minute} -- I hit "randomize" and here's who won!

Jules!! Over at "Chic & Pink"
CONGRATS JULES!!!

This was SOO fun! Thank you, again to all my followers!!
Happy 4th Weekend!

Small Town Livin'

2009-07-02T14:26:00.001-04:00

The Sandwich Mart is a big deal in our town -- They've been around forever and you can walk in and sit down or use the very convenient drive through. So a colleague and I headed out for lunch today and while she usually picks the spot ~~because I could really care less about eating most of the time~~, I got a craving for the Sandwich Mart.

Nope.

No can do.

Why?

Because they went on vacation.

Really?

The restaurant went on vacation?

Yep.

Welcome to Small Town Livin'.

Rest... Relax and Vacation. any. time. you. like. :)

You've got LESS THAN
24 HOURS to enter my
SUMMER GIVEAWAY!!!

Shred It: Day 21

2009-06-30T10:15:00.002-04:00

As you ~~did not likely even think about it~~ know, today is day 21, which means yesterday was my last day of Level 2 of the 30 Day Shred:

Just as the first day of Level 1 put my body into a death shock, day 1 of Level 2 did almost the same thing -- Mr. Realife was wondering what was going on when he walked in the house and heard ~~an insane amount~~ a little swearing from the living room --

By day 6/7 of Level 2 my body starting getting more and more used to it, but some of the moves are still weak for me -- I had really no idea how out of shape I really am was -- {side note: My ankles are sore... anyone else experience that?}

For me, this will not just be 30 days -- I want to redo the entire system once I finish so that I can really see some changes --

Right now I definitely feel "tighter" and my abs are way flatter, but other than that, I still don't feel too much of a difference in my clothes and I guess I'm feeling a little bummed about that... it's a lot of hard work, but it has only been 20 days --

OK, the 20 day results:

Day 1:

Waist: 31" Hips: 37" Thighs: 22.5

Day 10:

Waist: 30.5" Hips: 36.5" Thighs: 22"

Day 20:

Waist: 29" Hips: 36.5" Thighs: 21.5"

OK... I didn't realize until JUST NOW that I"d lost 2 inches on my waist since day 1 -- WHOA!!!

Hips... no change and I've lost an inch in my thighs --

OK... not too shabby, not sure what else I was expecting!!

Be sure to enter my
Summer Giveaway!
You don't want to miss it!!

SUMMER GIVEAWAY!!!

2009-06-29T14:52:00.004-04:00

Summer is Amazing.

Summer is Beachy.

Summer is Happy.

Summer deserves a
CELEBRATION!!!

So let's get to it!

*******************************************

First up?

Lilly Pulitzer Stationary
The minute I laid eyes on this,
summer came to mind.
I. love. this.

*******************************************

Second up?

A Preppy Princess
Personalized Boat Tote
{of course personalized to you}

This tote is perfect for summer.
Perfect for the pool.
Perfect for the beach.
Perfect for travel.
Perfect.

You know what is even more perfect?
The Preppy Princess has offered to
personalize this perfect tote
FOR FREE!!'
{of course both of these items can be found on
The Preppy Princess website -
Go there NOW to choose the colors you'll pick!}

THANK YOU, PREPPY PRINCESS!!!

*******************************************

Third up?
{YES! There's a 3rd!}

Five of O' Magazine's
recommended Polishes!
These rock.
I ordered a few colors and I LOVE them!

Click here to choose the 5 colors you'll pick!

*******************************************

W.O.W. !!!!

*******************************************

HOW DO I WIN!?

{so glad you asked... it's easy! too easy...}

There are only two ways to win :)

#1 Be or become a follower (2 entries)

#2 Post about this giveaway (5 entries)

Then let me know you did by leaving me a comment :)

The winner will be announced Friday, July 3rd @ NOON!!

Because We Deserve to Smile

2009-06-28T07:00:00.001-04:00

Before we smile... why is it that every time I do Weekly Blog Love I lose a follower??

Hmmm??? Anyone???

OK... just had to get that off my chest ;0)

Now... Onto smiling...

Isn't she the MOST PRECIOUS THING EVER?!?!

YES! She's sticking her hip out for the pic!
MUNCHKIN FACE!

Tomorrow is going to be TRES exciting!!

Featured Friday: Weekly Blog Love

2009-06-26T10:17:00.001-04:00

Short. Sweet. and to the point. I've got a busy day...

I am going to continue my Weekly Blog Love simply because I love doing it and a lot of you said you love finding new and interesting bloggers --

I have been following this incredible blogger for about 8 months or so... Her heart is so incredibly warm, sincere, sensitive and vulnerable. She has a story that is heart felt and honest. She is not only physically beautiful and a model, but she exudes beauty from the inside. She has a love for music, which you'll see displayed on her blog weekly and concerts are definitely a favorite past time for her.

With all this, she lives a life that not many people live and this part of her life is what she blogs about. Her stories from this exotic journey are intriguing, funny and addictive. While we've never spoken outside of our comments on each others blogs {which we rarely miss a-one}, I feel like I know her.

She is...

Cocaine Princess

Thank you for your inspiring story and
always keeping me coming back for more!!!

GIVEAWAY... COMING MONDAY!!!

the calm

2009-06-25T14:24:00.000-04:00

Life is good.

Too good?

I have a husband who loves me.

I have a husband.

I love him more today than the day we married.

I have love.

I have a job in the field I was educated for.

I have a job.

My husband has a job that solely provides for us.

I have a secure and stable home.

I have a home.

My parents are alive and healthy.

So are my siblings.

I have friends that care about me.

I have friends.

Finances are in order.

One of my greatest stresses is what to cook for dinner.

Should I cook?

I roll my eyes at my silly thoughts.

Life has never been this easy.

Something is wrong.

Is this the calm before the storm?

Why can't I just trust?

Trust.

The calm.

Our Home in Pictures: The Kitchen

2009-06-25T07:00:00.002-04:00

Before we get to my kitchen tour... I just wanted to thank you so much for all of your incredibly kind words about my post about my dad -- He truly is my most favorite person and to be able to share that with such wonderful people means a lot -- Next time I'll warn you to grab your Kleenex boxes! :)

OK... On with it --

When we were originally picking out our cabinetry, I wanted a "Ginger" color wood -- I compromised and when they installed it, I was sad that we went with the lighter wood -- BUT! once Mr. Realife and my dad painted the kitchen, I felt somewhat better about it all...

Our kitchen and bathrooms originally had linoleum in them --
While this may work for some areas in your home,

it just didn't feel nice on our feet --

So... my dad came up and tiled all those areas for us!

We love it!!

This is our kitchen now!

A few of the details...

Starting with clearly the most important :)

Yes... that is dust on top of this Griddle :)

That's why Mr. Realife bought me this...

Hope you enjoyed our tour of the kitchen! Next week?
Laundry Room :)

STAY TUNED...

2009-06-24T14:49:00.002-04:00

Tuesday Talk: Fix It

2009-06-23T12:02:00.001-04:00

Mr. Realife is considering changing directions in his career as he has been the owner of his Landscaping company for 19 years and is getting tired... I don't blame him. Especially when it's 95 degrees outside and you can see the humidity it's so thick. Whilst mulling around a lot of ideas, becoming a paramedic came up - fast forward a few weeks.

We were stopped at a red light in front of the hospital and we saw an ambulance pull out with 3 women paramedics sitting in the front seat. Being the jokers that we are, we both looked at each other with grins on our faces and he says See honey, I'll be in good company! Of course we laugh and flirt a little with each other cause we're cute like that...

Two minutes later I got my serious on, with a flare of pragmatism... I said to him, You know what? If you ever believe that the grass is greener on the other side and decide that you truly think another woman will make you happier, then go for it. I know that sounds crazy, but I don't want to have to prove I'm worth sticking around for and I don't do jealous. Been there, done that and it's totally not worth my energy. He looked at me like I had two heads and then responded What you just said is precisely why I don't think the grass is greener.

I don't hold him too tightly.

Jealously is not very pretty. It's a word we like to avoid and pretend we don't feel, but it's very real and very powerful and it would be difficult to believe you've never felt its presence. For example... jealous of that neighbor girl who had the barbie princess house you wanted. Jealous of your teammate who was picked as the all-star player of the year when you'd practiced so hard. Jealous of your best friend who got the guy you were eying. Jealous of your colleague who got the promotion you know you deserved. You know... jealous. Yuck.

Within a healthy relationship, jealously shouldn't be an issue. I had never heard it explained so well until I had a conversation with a colleague of mine recently. She was telling me about a new relationship that's forming with a man that is, well... let's just leave it at he's quite a looker and works in a very prominent career. He was sort of putting his feelers out there to see if she would be able to handle how women ~~hunt him down~~ sometimes respond to him. He wasn't at all trying to be egotistical, just logical as his last relationship didn't work out because of this issue and asked "Would you be able to trust that I'm a one woman kind of man and believe deeply in monogamy?"

To this question, my colleague responded "Fix it"

While telling me this story, I looked at her perplexed, Fix it? She got a huge smile on her face and said, Yep! He better fix it. That man has the power to make sure those women around him know he's not available. If he's in his studio and a woman is reaching over him, he needs to offer her a chair, letting her know he's not available and doesn't appreciate her gesture. He either enjoys the attention or he needs to fix it.

While she is not married, she said what I've believed to be true for so long, but in the most simple terms. If the person you're married to truly cares about the person they are in a relationship with, they won't leave any room for jealously. And while jealousy is a normal human response to defending what is rightfully yours, your partner/spouse/boyfriend/girlfriend has it within their to fix it.

Mr. Realife has never, not even once, ever given me a reason to feel jealous. We are able to joke around about it and I believe that is healthy. When I told him Be my guest if you think the grass is greener... It's because I'm incredibly secure in knowing that he loves me. Yet, while he makes me feel secure, I am also responsible to feel secure in myself. I know that I offer a lot to our relationship and if that's not good enough for him, then clearly he needs something else and that is not my issue.

Jealousy. Any thoughts?

Not Much Not Me Monday!

2009-06-22T07:02:00.001-04:00

Anything you absolutely would never do this week? Have you lived to tell about it? Do you need to just get it off your chest? Welp... you've come to the right place -- MckMama over at My Charming Kids came up with this little writing therapy to deal with how silly we are not, how crazy we would never be, or what odd things we would never do :) Click here for the rules!

I however, have not done that many thing this week to talk about! ~~I probably have, it's just that after yesterday's post, I'm sort of pooped~~ :)

Yet... I could never leave my readers hanging ;0) So, I am going to share one small thing with you that I would never do -- I did not take these pictures -- There's no way on earth I'd even think of taking pictures of Elly Mae cuddling in our shorts/pants whilst we ~~relieve ourselves~~ go potty... that would be totally uncouth and and defintely redneckish... and we are not rednecks - Like for real -- We only discovered Miss Elly Mae's love for cuddling at our feet whilst on the throne recently... She apparently senses that we are on our way and prances as fast as she can to the bathroom to wait for us -- This may possibly be what it looks like if I took pictures of it...

Not Us!!

HAPPY MONDAY!

Dear Dad...

2009-06-21T07:00:00.001-04:00

For as far back as I can remember, your presence in my life has been a constant. This is how I remember things...

December of 77 -- I was a birthday present to you and you love me more than life itself
You work 2 jobs to support me, my brother and mom

I turn 18 months old your heart is broken a second time: Mom leaves a note saying she has left for good

Instead of just 2 jobs, you now work 3 jobs to support Matt and me and pay off mom's debts

Not long after, you meet Shary, who has also been left behind with 3 kids and she takes care of us while you work

I am 3 years old now... you fall in love and marry Shary... now we are a family of 7 with 5 kids - 7 years of age and under

Shortly after, your trust is further broken and you decide it's time to move from Pennsylvania to Florida

Your family is there, so that is one of the best parts about moving

We live in a 2 bedroom apartment... all 5 kids in one bedroom -- Good thing we are little

You work long hours, but you love us and so, as always, you do what it takes to provide for us

I'm 4 now and we move into our first house in Royal Palm Beach and even though you are the one to let me watch "Carrie", you comfort me when I have nightmares {yes, I'm laughing :-}

I love going to the park right up the road with you and playing softball... thanks for always being so patient

I meet my mother for one of the first times that I remember and I feel confused... You take me to Burger King and try to explain some things... I don't understand, but I trust you

Two years pass and we grow out of our house and you and mom have a larger house built in West Palm Beach, business is good.

I tell you a secret and my visits to my mom stop for a while... Your

It seems I ~~am an emotional child~~ have a lot of feelings to express... you play Carpenter songs like "Rainy Days on Mondays" to cheer me up...

You take me to work with you and even though I am more scattered than a help, you always tell me "You are my best helper" {we all know Eva was, for real ;-}

We go for Dairy Queen as a special treat... Vanilla cone dipped in chocolate is your favorite and therefore my favorite

Weekends are filled with BBQ's on the beach

Land Before Time comes out and you take me to see it... It's my favorite movie and you quote lines like "Now you listen to old Rooter" when you want to cheer me up

You teach me about God and that He loves me -- I trust you

Sixth grade was fast approaching and you announce that we are moving away to a small town in North Florida - 500 people to be exact

Times are hard with the recession that hit - You have to travel back and forth to Orlando to support us

You take me with you one week and I try and convince you to let me go live with my mom... you tell me no, that's it's not the right time

Five years pass and I grow more and more angry that you're in Orlando working and more curious about who my mother is... You see this and when you find out I was going to leave without your permission to go live with her, you tell me "If you wait until Christmas, I'll buy your ticket"

I left you on my 17th birthday - I break your heart

10 years go by - I call on occasion - I visit Thanksgivings - I think you're wrong about my mom and I'm mean and angry - You continue to pray for me - love me - support me and give me words of wisdom - I ignore them because I think I know better and continue to break your heart -

Still, you come and see me graduate High School... Graduate college - Always supportive - Always loving - ever kind - never angry -

I'm almost 27 now and my life completely falls apart - I realize the reality of the life I'd been living and I call you for support - My heart is broken - My life is broken - You tell me that you love me and that you are there for me because you'd been there before, too - You understand -

I fall into a deep depression and 6 months later I'm on your doorstep needing to find myself again - You welcome me with open arms and pay for me to go to China with you and mom to see Sarah... you hope it helps heal my heart - It works -

I stay with you for 4 months and just as is typical of me, I'm off on another adventure... You tell me I should stay another year and get my finances straight - I again ignore you, thinking I know better

{MAN! You'd think I would have learned by now...

at least I wasn't going off to do something destructive again :-}

I start my Master's that Fall - you and mom and Eva come and visit my new apartment - I'm overwhelmed by your presence and love for me - My heart continues to heal -

I have several nightmares over the next year and call you a lot - You continue to comfort me, give me your wise words and tell me that you too, still have dreams sometimes... but time will heal all wounds - I trust you -

I start counseling and realize I haven't forgiven myself for leaving you - I call and apologize for being selfish and not understanding what you were sacrificing for our family working in Orlando - You tell me that there's nothing to apologize for, that you understood it was time for me to know my mother -

It's the following summer now and I call to tell you that I've met a man that I love and I want to bring him for Thanksgiving... You are happy for me and tell me to bring him -

He's just like you ~~but talks more~~ - He's a hard worker, stable, trustworthy, honest, sincere in his intentions, loves motorcycles and loves me - You like him and that seals the deal for me -

I'm engaged and you're happy for me -- still trying to help me get my finances straight, I'm still not listening, although at least now I'm trying - You still support me and love me -

My wedding day - You are there at my side - You tell me that I've never looked more beautiful and that you are proud of me - I tell you that even though I'm getting married, I'll still need you - It was a bittersweet day for me -

3 months into my marriage, I'm depressed - Of course I call you - You help me understand how a man thinks and some of the things D might be going through, too - You two are so much alike and I thank God for him and thank you for understanding, as always - My marriage starts to really blossom -

D and I build a house and you take your week vacation to come and install tile in our two baths and kitchen/laundry room - You work so hard to make it perfect for me - I love having you here and dread the day you leave - Your van gets snow on it for the first time in 25 years... you have me take a picture - I just love you -

We have a better relationship now than we ever have - I can talk to you about anything - I still go to Dairy Queen every couple months and get a vanilla cone dipped in chocolate and pretend we're eating it together - I miss you -

You come to see me graduate - You come to see me in my first theater performance - You call just to say "I love you" and you are always happy to hear my voice -

Dad... you are my hero, my role model, a picture of who I hope to be - You are my daddy and father and there is no one I love more than you...

Happy Father's Day

p.s. -- For my readers
I wrote this post a while ago about my dad
if you want a little background :)

I May Be Behind the Times...

2009-06-20T07:06:00.000-04:00

... but it was worth it.

If you haven't seen this movie - you need to :)
Happy Saturday!

Because We Deserve to Smile on Fridays

2009-06-19T16:04:00.000-04:00

How could you not?

My Niece :)

Featured Friday: Shred Report and Other News

2009-06-19T07:48:00.001-04:00

So who HASN'T heard of the shred?!

Oh, you? Um... ahem.

I'm here to tell you about it...

10 days ago I started a journey that I'm proud to say I haven't quit -- It's called:

Since I've been married, I've not only gained the "newlywed 9", but also the "30 y/o sag" - Awesome.

Lindsey... one of my Blog Loves, did the shred and gave us continuous updates -- She totally inspired me and ~~even the though it took 13 days to get the stupid DVD~~ regardless of the challenges, I started The Shred 10 days ago.

I'm happy to report:

#1 I'm not dead
#2 I'm not dead
#3 I'm still alive :)

OK... getting for real: My endurance is up, my body is feeling fit {whereas, I can't necessarily see a difference} and I have more energy already -- In fact, after days 1,2,3,4... I was d.r.e.a.d.i.n.g. working out and yet, yesterday I found myself excited about going home and working out ~~no, I'm not crazy~~ :)

Measurements ~~which I cannot believe I'm displaying for the world to see~~ are:

Day 1:
Height: 5' 3 1/2"
Weight: Does not interest me... it plays with my mind... I care about how my clothes fit :)
Waist: 31" Hips: 37" Thighs: 22.5

Day 10:
I'm happy to report my height remained the same - HA!

Waist: 30.5" Hips: 36.5 Thighs: 22

~~wow... that was embarrassing~~

I've always wished I had a smaller waist, but I have an "H" shaped body {or 'athletic'} I had a 29 inch waist in 8th grade... but I am not complaining -- I must say I was shocked to see I'd lost 1/2 inch everywhere... I didn't really have any expectations, but I guess that's good seeing as I didn't get disappointed that I hadn't met them! {I do not always live by that philosophy, btw :}

30 Day Shred Grade so far? A+ !!

Next up? BLOGGY AWARDS!! I've received a few awards recently and I've been so bad about announcing them -- Sorry Ladies!!!

From Ms. Salti -- She thinks I'm adorable!

THANK YOU, MS. SALTI! You're adorable, too!! :)

This award is from Megsie and Erin -- Apparently I'm Lovely, too!

THANK YOU, LADIES!!!
{I have to say about Erin... She's such a great commenter!
Thanks for always making me smile ;0}

OK... Someone spank me with a wet noodle... I have NO idea who gave this to me and I've looked and looked through my comments! UGH! If it was you... Let me know and I'll update this! Clearly... I'm not as cute as you thought! SORRY :(

Thanks for thinkin' I'm cute!! :)

Last bit of business to take care of!!!

My Weekly Blog Love -- I don't seem to be getting much response to it! I adore a lot of blogs... but it doesn't seem to be too interesting to y'all and ~~way down yonder~~ here in NC, we like to keep things interesting!

So... what do you think?

Weekly Blog Love?
NO Weekly Blog Love?
SPEAK NOW or forever hold your comments! :)

HAPPY FRIDAY! YAY!!

My Life In Dreams: Chapter 3

2009-06-18T08:28:00.002-04:00

Chapter 3

It's the same rock I remember, but the building was completely different. The rocks were pushing through my shoes and it was uncomfortable to walk. I'd walked this parking lot a thousand times and I never got used it. The people were the same, but also different. I felt my legs and they were shaky. My body was filled with tension, but not fear. Why was I here? What was I doing back? I told myself I'd never go back. What happened?

Thinking back, I recall Joline had phoned me and asked me to come... I missed her so much. Last thing I remember was saying OK, I'll be there. Be where? Where was I? The sight of all my friends makes my heart melt, almost bringing tears to my eyes. I see Trisha, Peter and Morgan, yet their faces are different - reflexive. Walking slowly and steadying my steps, I took in the scene that surrounded me. Familiar faces lined the parking lot and they were staring at me as though I was a foreign entity. Don't they remember me? The way I used to act, maybe I wouldn't want to remember me, either.

Without a word spoken, they raised their arms and pointed in the direction of the unfamiliar building. With hesitancy, I turned to see what they were seeing; The Enchantress stood in the bay window calling me with her eyes. She is exceptionally beautiful in every way and it's unexplainable how her expressions make you feel comfortable even when you're not sure you can trust her. Without another thought, I walked toward the door that would bring me into the building.

Unlike the soothing heat of the sun, the building was cold, damp and dark. Regardless of the windows lining the walls, there was no sunshine. I looked to the right and saw her standing there. I felt at ease, trusting her immediately regardless of my pragmatic mind. How does she do that? She smiled widely and reached out her hand for me to take. I walked toward her and took a seat in the window. Why am I here? I thought I told you I'd never come back. With placating words she replied Honey, you know this is where you belong. You were never meant to be alone in the world. It was then that I understood she'd used my friends to get me here; she knew what was important to me. I felt my throat close and suddenly I realized I had no conscious control over my thoughts.

Coming from what seemed to be nowhere, The Abuser made his presence known. I felt my heart stop. Breathe! BREATHE! my thoughts went from zero to crazy... What was I doing here? How did she trick me again? My fingernails dug deep into the wood seat I was sitting on as if that would secure me. Hello sweetheart, he said with eerie flavored tone. Say something! Get the fuck out of here! yelled my mind, but I couldn't move. He stepped closer to put his hand on my shoulder pretending he could calm me. All at once, every synapse in my body collided together, I jumped up on the seat with one fell swoop and I opened my mouth to scream... GET AWAY FROM ME!

Stepping back calmly, he brought his hands down and clasped them together in front of his body and gave me a smug look. You haven't changed much. Come talk with me, I want to ask you something. The Enchantress just stared and smiled, as if her mind was so far gone, she didn't have the comprehension to know I was in danger. Reaching out her hand to help me off the seat, she explained This is part of your healing... go with him. I was having a hard time believing talking to the The Abuser was going to be healing.

Steadying my heaving body, I stepped down only to make it clear he may not touch me. Loathing welled up within me from my toes to my ears. I could feel the heat in my face radiating. With a disgusted look on my face, I told him to get on with whatever he wanted to tell me, all the while wondering why she would lead me right to him, wasn't she supposed to protect me? After wandering for a while, we started to walk to a part of the building where the view of outside was obstructed and claustrophobia set in. My body started to shake. He finally spoke, controlling the mood, I want you to come back and live with me. I froze, now shaking more violently, my stomach was starting to do that thing it always does; burn. Seeing as I couldn't look him in the face, I simply looked off in the distance and said as if uninterested, Too bad. You don't get to call the shots anymore, I make the decisions for my life now.

Always with an inferior tone, he commented You realize you had a choice all those years, right? It's your fault we're all miserable you stupid bitch. I snapped my head up as if ice cold water had just been thrown in my face, all nerves left my body and I cracked. I was so furious, I didn't know if I should slap the shit out of him or just run like hell. I decided to leave the piece of shit standing there instead of giving him any more pleasure of my attention.

I ran back into the other room where The Enchantress stood looking coy as if my life were a game. I stopped, taking in my surroundings. The building grew ever darker and cold; those who had lined the parking lot were gone - did I imagine it? Was I going crazy? Before I could finish my thoughts, she answered them... You, my child, are lost in this world and I will forever know your weakest link. You might be leaving now, but you'll be back.

With my face down buried in my pillow, I felt the tears flowing from my eyes. My body was laid straight out with my elbows pinned to my side. My hands were grasping onto the pillow as if saving my soul. Of course my clothes were soaked and I just relaxed realizing it was another nightmare. The overwhelming sense of being controlled was filtering through my nerves. I pushed my body up with my arms, trying to come back to consciousness. Thank God I didn't go back. Reaching to find my cell phone, I wondered what time it was. It must have been almost time to get up anyway as I could see the slight dawning of the sun through my sheer window treatments. Sitting on my knees, I stepped out of bed and walked out onto my balcony deciding I'd take in the sun rise over the bay.

Why was life only peaceful when I was awake?

Our Home In Pictures: Dining Room

2009-06-16T12:23:00.000-04:00

First and foremost! THANK YOU SO MUCH for all of your incredibly kind comments!!! We do live in a really peaceful environment... We both work very hard and we love coming home at the end of our days --

Last week after I posted our outside, Mr. Realife asked why I didn't put up a picture of the whole house! I have no idea... so, here it is!

...I know you'll sleep better tonight :)

Ok... on with the Dining Room...

Standing on the back porch, this is what you see...

A look from our foyer

~~ignore the messy coat rack~~

The lighting... {sorry for the blurry pix}

When looking for dining furniture, we kept looking for a "set"
Our interior 'consultant' {because he did not design our interior}
Told us not to buy a set, but separate pieces that went with
each other -- Wasn't my cup of tea, but I'm getting used to it

Our table...

I love fresh flowers and like to get them when
they are half off at the store - they last about a week.

While it's not "matchy matchy" as my desire for
traditional design would like... I do love our server...

Inside our server, you'll find these really cool fish from Mexico...

The art you see leaning against the wall
was painted by a local artist my husband likes...
Who knew this southern boy had a modern side to him --
Clearly not framed the way we want, it has yet to be hung :)

And of course... this is what you'll see
when we forget our sweet baby on the porch
{yes... those are 'wet nose' streaks you see}

I think that's it! Next? Kitchen!!

NOT ME MONDAY!

2009-06-15T11:15:00.000-04:00

Have you had a hard week? Anything you need to just 'talk about'? Something there's no way on earth you did and you're living to tell about it? This is your chance to get a little writing therapy! Join MckMama over at MyCharmingKids for Not Me Monday! Click here for all the rules!

Really? I can't believe I'm going to tell you this... But I will since I never did it -- Mr. Realife and I went Saturday to pick up our horse! She's been at the breeding farm 3 months and it was time to come home. Took about an hour to get there and the facilities were, let's just say, ~~so freaking filthy an animal wouldn't feel comfortable going~~ less than clean, and I didn't want to sit my pretty little arse on their toilet. So... there's no way I squatted in the back of our horse trailer and let it all go -- It's a good thing I didn't do this or that would indicate that I'm turning into a real country girl and that is just never gonna happen -- and while we're not doing things, there's no way I just told you this, so I'm not totally flushed in the face right now -- Not Me!

I think I may love chocolate way. too. much. -- Around 3 o'clock daily I get a chocolate attack and must indulge in even just one Hersey's Kiss -- Well... sometimes a Kiss is just not enough -- I did not go last Thursday ~~on my lunch break~~ and buy $15 worth of chocolate... to add insult to injury, this shopping excursion did not happen at the DOLLAR STORE -- No way... that would mean I bought 15 different items containing chocolate -- Yet, if I had actually bought all that chocolate, it would all reside in my top desk drawer -- Good thing I didn't! Not Me!!

With all that talk of chocolate, I almost forgot that I'm doing Jillian Michaels' 30 day Shred -- ~~I'll never give up chocolate~~ -- Today will be day 7 and well... I'm finally able to lift my arms to brush my teeth without looking like I'm 96 y/o -- I would never spend my 20 minutes of working out cursing the day Jillian was born or for that matter, modern technology that allows us to transfer such ~~torture~~ information from their studio to our homes -- Not Me!

OK... enough of the things I haven't done this week! Let's here if from you!

p.s. -- Tomorrow, I'll be showing you my dining room -- Hopefully Wednesday we'll have another dream entry and I'll be doing a "10 day update" on the Shred on Friday morning!!

HAPPY MONDAY :)

Please Laugh with Me

2009-06-14T11:46:00.000-04:00

Sometimes you just have to go back and laugh -- Polka Dots and Paisley posted this Friday and it totally inspired me... Now, I clearly did not look as beautiful as she, but that's not the point of this post -- The point is... I'm showing mine -- Show me yours! {and leave me a comment that you did!}

March or April 1994

I told you my hair was a million shades of blond since I was 14 y/o --
What can I say... Hindsight is better than foresight?
This was a "blind" date... doing a friend of ours from church 'a favor'
That should have told me it was going to bad...
He took me through "drive through" for dinner, his car was filthy,
played his music 20 decibels beyond humanly necessary
and wouldn't dance with me at the prom --
I ended up joining some friends I'd known from his school through cheer leading -- He got so angry, he left me there at prom and went home... awesome.

COME ON! I want to see yours!

You Just Might...

2009-06-13T07:01:00.001-04:00

... see one of these flying over your head on your way to work if you live in PoDunk, USA

My car did not need to be any filthier. Thanks.

On a Lighter Note...

2009-06-12T16:28:00.000-04:00

Here are my fabulous Friday Foto Finds! I work in the MOST beautiful small town on Wednesdays and Fridays and I thought it was better to leave you with these for the weekend than my last post!

And my favorite ~~escape from all the madness~~ lunch spot:

About "My Life in Dreams" {click here and here} -- No freaking out allowed -- I don't expect a lot of comments... I mean, what do you say, right? {although thank you so much for those of you who do... love it} -- The dreams are real {as some of you have asked} -- Not made up -- But they are not current -- In fact, the reason I'm able to share now is because I have moved passed it all {although our pasts are always a part of who we are in our future} -- Behind the scenes there is a book being written about moving passed the past... but sometimes you have to revisit it to do just that!

Anyhow........ ENJOY the pix and your weekend!!

My Life In Dreams

2009-06-12T10:04:00.000-04:00

4 years old

Chapter 2

His mocking eyes were staring at me in the rear view mirror. Arms crossed, shoulders back, chin up; he was in control and he knew it. I hated the petite features on his face when I knew the evil within him was not petite. He'd had hold of my life since before I was born; I often wonder if he knew what he was doing from the beginning. His curly, thinning hair always looked so stupid; clearly no one had the guts to tell him. I'm guessing this isn't really the time. I needed to figure out how I was going to get out of my car alive.

The winding curves on this downhill roller coaster of a mountain were too much for my 77', light blue, Dodge Plymouth. Only understanding by an impossibly tight wheel, there was no power steering. The wheel didn't feel strong enough to hold my death grip. The tighter I wrapped my fingers around it, the more my sweaty palms slid down the sides. I kept seeing what seemingly were rock walls whipping by my peripheral vision, causing the lump in my stomach to grow that much heavier with every tighter curve.

The seats were vinyl and because my whole body was drenched with sweat, I kept sliding around, not able to keep my foot on the break. It wasn't working anyway, so I'm not sure why I was so desperate to pound on it with every fiber of my being. My life was at stake; again. All my muscles were tightened further with ever turn. In the midst of my panic, I'm trying to remember when I'd felt this fear before; it didn't matter, it was gripping my body with fury.

With a slow, soft, controlled tone {Mr. Malefic} let out, I told you I'd come back for you when you were least expecting it. I warned you about leaving. My heart was pounding so hard, I could physically see my chest moving through my shirt. My thoughts were scattered, I thought I'd moved far enough away that he wouldn't know where I lived. I promised myself I'd be careful, where did I go wrong?! Too many people know where I am. I'm so stupid. With all of my strength, I kept myself from looking in the mirror; knowing he would see the overwhelming fear.

My eyes were starting to blur and I couldn't see the road in front of me. My body started to no longer sweat and shake, but was becoming numb. I didn't have the strength to turn the wheel any longer; what was happening to me? This couldn't be the end! He couldn't win! I'd worked so hard to live after what I thought was my death, only to die at the hands of this disgusting, pathetic excuse for a man? I started to scream, yet I didn't hear anything coming out of my mouth. My eyes darted back to the mirror; he was gone. That son of a bitch figured out how to get out of the car! Why was this happening to me?!

Before I could think, I simply let go of the steering wheel. The car obeyed my command by driving straight over the cliff that I'd so vehemently tried with all my power to avoid for what seemed like hours. I laid my head back on the seat, closed my eyes and gave up. Just before the car hit the bottom; my body jolted straight up and I made a sound comparable to a child desperate for help. I was alive.

The room looked so dark and it was as quiet as when I had fallen asleep. Nothing had moved; all was the same with the world. My breathing was heavy and my clothes were drenched. My sheets needed to be washed for the second time that week and it was only Wednesday. I felt alone; no, lonely. Where was everyone and how had my life come to this; sitting alone in a dark apartment, surrounded by a sweat soaked bed wondering if I should try and go back to sleep for the fear of another nightmare.

I decided against it. Crawling to the other side of the bed, I got up only to feel my bare feet melting into the soft carpet. Once I stripped my clothes off, I found my trusty, consoling robe that a friend of mine bought me for my birthday just before I left PA. Her words were, Whether you're here in Pennsylvania, at your dad's house or in a strange city, a robe always makes you feel at home. She was right.

The light of my computer was blinking from the living room and I walked toward it. Taking my routine position on the couch, I opened the laptop that held the secrets of my life. Opening the file named 'Book', I was comforted by the knowledge that this writing therapy would pull me back to the reality of where I was and where I was going.

Our Home in Pictures

2009-06-10T06:58:00.001-04:00

OK! Here we go! Remember this pic from
when I asked if you wanted to see our house?

This is on the other side of the fence...

and what you see as you're driving up our driveway.

If you keep going up the driveway, you'll see our horses in their barn...

...and the chickens in their house!
{which Mr. Realife built from scratch, and I painted!}

The chickens love to follow us around the yard :)

... and lay these!!

The front of our house...

... Mr. Realife is a Landscape Designer, so he did all the work.
{These pix were taken last Fall, so it's 'all grown up' now}

The back of our house!

... a few additions...

Side of our back screened in porch...

The inside!

Our own personal oasis...

...and where I do a lot of blogging.

OK! So... that's the outside :) Stay tuned next week
for a peek through the back sliding glace door...

I just wanted to say that I know I promised the next chapter of My Story -- I'm figuring out some things -- I'm writing a book and don't want to put the entire thing online -- I'm thinking I may do "My Life in Dreams" and only tell you some of the dreams and leave you guessing {aren't I sweet?!} I'm in the midst of writing another one of my dreams {I've had a lot} and it's really difficult to write it out! Yet, I know I'm ready, so I'm pushing through it! I promise I'll post it soon!

Not Me - Never Me Monday!

2009-06-08T12:37:00.003-04:00

Inspired by MckMama and her MSC*

Need a bit of therapy? Anything you didn't do this week that you lived through to blog about? Well MckMama over at My Charming Kids has just the thing -- Click here to read all about it! Then get goin'!

As for me and the cast of Alice, we spent a glorious 3 days on the sandy beaches of the OBX... Duck, NC to be exact --

We each brought a little something for the weekend... I was responsible for desserts :) Of course... these are southern women we're dealing with and well... southern desserts is what they may have expected -- But Not Me -- I would never buy a ton of mini candy bars and call it a hard days work standing in the grocery line -- Not Me -- but of course, if I did do this, I would bust out the candy just as soon as I walked up those pretty green steps and pile them in baskets around the beach house... not me -- I would never hear "{Mrs. Realife}, when you said you have a husband who loves sweets and knew the perfect desserts to bring, were you really talking about candy bars?" Absolutely NOT - I would NEVER mean that ;0) What southern woman would feed their husband candy bars as dessert -- Not Me!

I am not obsessed with taking photographs of food -- I did not take 196 of 387 pictures of food and beverages ~~and other non-living items~~ -- That would be really ridiculous -- I did not eat everything these southern ladies made, but it sure looked good -- I'm also not saying I didn't drink with the best of them ~~all day, everyday~~ during breakfast, lunch and dinner... Not Me!

We did not eat like queens all weekend... For breakfast:

and maybe after a little too much of this...

we absolutely did not do this... that would be childish... clearly. Never. Us.

Speaking of food... 6 women did not eat this entire refrigerator

of food in 3 days... Not ladylike southern women...

But if we did eat this entire refrigerator of food, it would have included:

Good thing we didn't eat all that.

After breakfast we did not do this...

Whilst watching Sex and the City and ~~cry, laugh and pausing a zillion times to do whatever~~ drink more mimosas... If you haven' t seen this movie already, I highly recommend you do it with 6 women. Awesome.

Of course then we needed a little of this...

To do a lot of this...

While we watched a lot of these...

There is also no way we spent that entire first evening watching naked people run around in the sand and do 'wiki wiki' dances -- Even if we did, we would not have totally enjoyed it ;0)

{actually, it was a really great outdoor theater and they told the story of "The Lost Colony",
The original colony that settled in America, never to be seen again}

The next day, we did not repeat said above activities only to not consume a ~~lot more~~ a little bit more of this...

Which may or may not have led to our need of these...

Which if I were allowed to tell you what we did not do, then I would show you these pictures...

... and what ever it was that we were not doing, it seemed to catch on pretty quickly!

OK! OK! On with it! See that woman above in white cropped pants on the left?? It just so happens her husband flies helicopters -- He did not call and tell us he was just north of where we were staying and tell us he was going to try and find us! So we did what any sane group of would not do and got all the lamps and every candle we could find and we all went and stood out on the house balcony:

At some point, her husband said "I think the guys in the cab thought y'all would be topless and that's why they're letting me do this" -- We did not all proceed to throw our shirts off ~~because we all had bathing suit tops on underneath~~ and once we heard the helicopter flying nearby, run back and forth waving candles and lamps, screaming ~~because clearly screaming would help~~ "HERE WE ARE! WE'RE OVER HERE!!" -- Of course all of this was not taking place at 10:30 at night and all the of neighbors were not standing on their balconys wondering what these crazy, topless women were doing... Not Us! Never Us!

That following Wednesday... we'd finally ~~sobered up~~ gotten back into the rhythm of reality and we all had dinner together with our theater company...

Oh, the joys of not doing all these things and living to tell about them!

HAPPY MONDAY!

Warning: Crazy Woman on Highway

2009-06-07T07:03:00.001-04:00

Is it just me?

Or does anyone else going 70 mph down the highway
~~feel pulled like a magnet~~ come to a screeching halt
when they see such gorgeousness that just must photographed?

Mrs. Realife: AKA - not so Super Model

2009-06-06T07:06:00.001-04:00

I've gotten 6 emails in the last 3 weeks with every title from "Is this OUR {Mrs. Realife}?" to "Your Smiling Face Makes My Face Smile" to "What happened to your hair?" to "I think you have a twin" --

4 years ago, when I started my Master's at Regent University, I had no idea they'd be using my face on their website... I'm a super star ~~what a joke~~ and I'm up for hire.

If I'd emailed this to my self my title would say: I had no idea I used to dye my hair the same color as my skin. Awesome.

Featured Friday: Who Doesn't Love Her?

2009-06-05T10:42:00.000-04:00

This girl has been one of my favorites from the time she started blogging seeing as she started after me -- This post of hers is when her blog caught my attention and we've communicated back and forth ever since --

I don't even know if Blogger had the "Follow Me" app. at the time, but she's always had a great amount of response to her posts -- I know that once "Follow Me" was up, it didn't take long for her box to hit 100, 200, 300... um... 1,000 followers!!! This says something about a person.

Her blog is usually full of funnies... laughing at herself, her husband, her preppy pug and in the mean time, entertaining us all -- I've enjoyed getting to know a more personal side of who she is through email chats, but she's also shared some of her most vulnerable struggles with us through her posts --

The most beautiful part about this blogger/woman is that she has a canny ability to take the worst of life's blows and find the opportunities in them and that alone draws me back to her blog on a daily basis --

Recently, her husband did an "Ask Me Anything" Q & A and some of his answers only solidified that his wife is not only an incredibly down to earth, meet you where your at, love you at your worst kind of woman, but also full of integrity, strength and generosity --

Yes... I'm going on and on, but I tend to do that when there really is someone who makes me laugh or cry on a daily basis and this is that person:

My Weekly Blog Love????

Mrs. Newlywed over at MisAdventures of a Newlywed

Thanks for being such an inspiration to not only me,
but to, well... clearly over a 1,000 people!

OK... in other news!

I mentioned I had to take off my "Blog Roll" because it was slowing down my page! This is what I've decided to do... I'm going to add my "Weekly Blog Loves" to the side and every week, I'll drop the bottom one and add that week's blog love to the top!

Stay tuned...

Not Me Monday is going to be a HOOT!
Tuesday? Another peak into my life.
Wednesday: My Home!

Happy Friday Everyone!

Question...

2009-06-04T15:01:00.000-04:00

Kelly's Korner does some sort of "Show Us Where You Live" thingy and I think I'm getting there... I happen to love our home and we've been working slowly, but surely on getting it all put together -- Not sure I'm going to follow all her rules or even what rooms she's showing, but the idea got me thinking....

If I'm really being honest, I'm really wanting some ideas -- Mostly organizationally... but other ideas you may have too?

This is what you can see driving up to my home...

So... who wants to see my house?

Manager's Special

2009-06-03T10:54:00.000-04:00

Anyone notice a difference on how long it takes to load my page? I've had so many people email and say they can't leave a comment or for that matter, even read my posts because the page won't load...

So what did I have to do? Step in as the manager of this blog and lighten its load -- No more music, less 2 slide shows and to my dismay... no more 'blogs I'm following' that reload when there's a new post -- Hang in there while I figure it all out --

On a funny note... Just a sneak peak into my weekend with the ALICE cast :) Oh... Not Me Monday is going to be a HOOT! I'll just say this to peak your interest:

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Any ideas as to what we're doing?! :^D
{no, we are not singing "We are the World" although
that may have actually been sung at one point}

Before and After

2009-06-02T10:51:00.002-04:00

Yes! I'm finally posting my before and after pix of my hair! {I've been promising this since Thursday!}

Before:

Clearly I like green {secret color, I think, b/c I profess Orange as my favorite}
I've had more hair styles than pairs of underwear -- These style have been since I've gotten married {first picture is my bachelorette party} -- Last October, at age 30, I was just tired of dying my hair ~~since I was 14~~ and decided to go natural...

After:

What do you think?!