Scrap and Stuff

2010-09-15T08:07:00.002-04:00

Scrap WHISPERS CHALLENGE 76

2010-09-14T19:54:00.000-04:00

Cedar Key Florida a bit of heaven on Earth

2009-09-06T15:43:00.004-04:00

Tom took Nick and me to Cedar Key today. Its a quaint beautiful seaside village about 45 monutes from here. I totally fell in love with Cedar Key. We will be going back often Im sure. We had appetizers of oysters on the half shells caught by local fisherman as this is one of the things Cedar Key is known for and we also had conch fritters while sitting out on the deck over looking the gulf. We saw dolphins dolphins and more dolphins playing in the water. We saw birds dive bombing the water as they caught dinner. Later we went to another waterside dining and I had the most delicious dinner of clam chowder and fried clams with onion rings and hushpuppies. Our bellies were full as we toured along and saw the sights of beauitiful Cedar Key. It was the best day I had in a long time. I so love the water. I feel like Im meant to live by the water because I feel right at home.

Im feeling almost grown up lol

2009-09-06T15:41:00.002-04:00

We traded in my old car for a "real" car. I almost feel like a grown up now lol.

Our new puppy

2009-09-06T15:35:00.002-04:00

Its been about 32 years since I had a puppy . Im loving it but it sure is a lot of work. Its almost like having a human baby as he likes to have us all up at 5 am. His name is Diesel and he is a American Bulldog. The only reason I got this dog is that we got him as a baby because I am afraid of big dogs and this pup is going to be a big one. He should weigh in over 125 when full grown.

Wonderful World Of Disney

2009-05-03T12:10:00.008-04:00

All you have to do is Beleive

I married my best friend and soul mate

2009-04-28T18:35:00.004-04:00

Our Fur Family

2009-04-27T14:54:00.004-04:00

We totally love all of our furbabies!

Nicks Birthday at Universal Studios

2009-04-26T19:31:00.010-04:00

Pirates of Clearwater

2009-04-23T20:41:00.002-04:00

Ahoy Matey! Aye Indeed there are pirates in Clearwater

Trip to Clearwater Florida

2009-04-23T20:21:00.005-04:00

Just because its fun

2009-01-21T10:56:00.001-05:00

Its been way too long

2009-01-18T12:24:00.001-05:00

since I scrapped so I jumped back in figured out how to work the cricut with a ton of help and started scrapping again. It feels good.

still recovering

2009-01-18T12:04:00.002-05:00

Im still recovering from my ankle fusion surgery. This surgery sure has whooped my butt.I am thankful I had it but my surgeon did not fully prepare me as far as the recovery and time frame. I dont know why he was not upfront and brutally honest like I had asked him to be prior to the surgery. I am still in the cam walker boot and still use the wheelchair. I do make myself walk and I am going to try walking more and more. I cant stand being in the wheelchair and it makes you look at the life of someone who wont be as lucky as me and be able to ditch it one day. I gave up the walker and bought a cane. The walker and wheelchair combo would make me laugh because I would feel so elderly and yet in my mind I am still a young girl.

Christmas in Florida

2008-12-06T13:10:00.003-05:00

It just doesnt seem possible that it is almost time for Christmas. The stockings are all hung and the tree is dancing with shiny baubles of red and gold and the house is decorated to the gills inside and out.Scores of Nutcrackers keeping still in the house while Santa Claus sits out on the lawn riding the carousel with reindeer and snowmen greeting friends as they pass by in thier cars gazing at all the Christmas tree lights everyone proudly displays.The presents are bought and wrapped and sitting under the tree just beckoning to be opened. Menus being planned and cookies being baked and candies being made while christmas lists get last minute additions. Cards coming in and cards going out just like the twinkling light reflections in cheerful childrens eyes. Yet it doesnt seem like Christmas when your wearing shorts and going to the beach or opening the windows while exclaiming its such a beautiful day. Yes its Christmas in Florida because this is where my family is living and I couldnt imagine a Christmas without them.So Ill pretend that its cold and the snow flurries are coming leading to blankets of fluffy cold snow. Children sled riding and out making snowmen and noses are red from the cold and not sunburned. After all Christmas is where you make your home with your loved ones and stays within your heart if you beleive.

Before I Die

2008-12-05T11:46:00.002-05:00

These are some of the things I would like to see or do before I die.

swim with the dolphins
see a shuttle lift off
Go see Niagra Falls as a adult
ride in a hot air balloon
skydive
get married again
shower in a waterfall
mean the world to someone
change someones life for the better
live life passionately
continue to create for a lifetime
See the aurora borealis
lose 100 pounds
laugh more
Go to Ground Zero and heal

ok so its been awhile

2008-12-04T20:46:00.005-05:00

I never know what to write about. I suppose thats why I dont blog. Its only been since last April of 2007 since my last post. Hopefully it wont be that long before the next but who knows?

10 things I love about Christmas

1. the reason for the season
2. Christmas makes me feel closer to my loved ones
3. Christmas trees I think they are awesome I currently have six in my house if you count the palm tree we added lights and bows to.
4. My nutcracker decorations. I think I have at least 30 different ones. I add to my collection every year.
5. Santa Claus. I beleive.
6. baking Christmas cookies. I tend to go overboard.
7.Christmas music it makes me happy.
8 Christmas shopping yes I enjoy it.
9. the looks on little childrens faces
10. going for rides in the car at night to look at everyones houses all lit up and decorated.

Life is so busy

2007-04-26T11:45:00.000-04:00

I have been so busy lately I dont even have time to think lately. These are a few things Im dealing with right now.
1. trying to close on my house
2. playing phone tag trying to get house insurance
3. playing phone tag with doctor
4. getting copies of legal documents
5. neverending work schedule but have to do this to be able to afford all of the above
6. Relationships not going like I want
7. Insurance problems
8. still sick
9. praying Im not that sick still need to have CT scan for stomach mass
10. dealing with sons school issues and medical needs
11. trying to decide what is best for me
12. my house is in total dissarray

seem like I have a plate full? I do ugggh But it was my son Nicks fifteenth birthday yesterday its so hard to beleive he is so old and so big but we had fun celebrating him

My Sister and Epcot

2007-04-17T21:22:00.000-04:00

This past weekend I was so excited another long year has gone by and April is here which means my sister Eileen and her family are down here in Florida for thier annual vacation. I am so close to my sister so this is one of my highlights of the year when she comes down with her husband Marc and my beautiful nephew Jake and my beautiful neices Laine and Olivia. Since I moved to Florida I have only been able too see them once a year and tears are always involved. This year however I finally had some hope when Marc mentioned while Eileen was off somewhere that he would love to move to Florida and even though I know my sister would love to retire someday in the mountains of Colorado Im secretly praying that her blood will thin with age and she will want to move to a warmer climate and want to move here. Ill admit Im selfish it would be heaven to live near my sister once again.We visted Epcot while they were down here and we were lucky that the Flower show was going on at the time of our visit. I hope you enjoy the pictures from our day at Epcot.

Friday the 13th

2007-04-13T12:29:00.000-04:00

Am I going to have bad luck just because it is Friday the 13th? No way Im going to make my own luck and have a wonderful day

One of the most commonly held superstitions in our so-called civilized, educated society is that Friday the 13th is an unlucky day, and since, in this equation, each is held to be unlucky, added together, their sum can only equal double trouble.

The modern basis for the aura that surrounds Friday the 13th stems from Friday October the 13th, 1307. On this date, the Pope of the church in Rome in Conjunction with the King of France, carried out a secret death warrant Against "the Knights Templar". The Templars were terminated as heretics, never again to hold the power that they had held for so long. There Grand Master, Jacques DeMolay, was arrested and before he was killed, was tortured and crucified.

Superstitions swirling around Friday as being lucky or unlucky have existed since ancient times, beginning with the northern nations. Ancient Romans dedicated the sixth day of the week to their beautiful, but vain, goddess Venus, so, when the Norsemen adopted the Roman method of naming days, they naturally adopted Venus as their name for the sixth day of the week. Their closest translation for Venus, Frigg, or Freya, eventually evolved into Friday, a day they considered to be the luckiest day of the week.

From a religious standpoint, Muslims tout Friday as the day Allah created Adam, legend has it that Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, the apple, on a Friday, and later died on a Friday, and Christians consider Friday as the day on which Christ was crucified by the Romans.

The Scandinavian belief that the number 13 signified bad luck sprang from their mythological 12 demigods, who were joined by a 13th demigod, Loki, an evil cruel one, who brought upon humans great misfortune. The number 13, in the Christian faith, is the number of parties at the Last Supper, with the 13th guest at the table being the traitor, Judas. When Christians combine this day and number, the combination can only hold special significance.

Whether or not a person considers Friday the 13th as unlucky, he or she must understand that this superstition, as well as others, merely stem from beliefs or practices man used, and continues to use, to explain, and to protect himself, from events beyond his control in his complicated world. He worked, and works only with the bag of knowledge he has on hand.

Only when factual, scientific bases for these beliefs are unearthed, and people do not dispel the beliefs, but instead cling to them, the beliefs become superstitions. Today's beliefs may very well be tomorrows superstitions. Until then, however, don't step on a crack!

fear of Friday the 13th is rooted in ancient, separate bad-luck associations with the number 13 and the day Friday. The two unlucky entities combine to make one super unlucky day.
There is a Norse myth about 12 gods having a dinner party at Valhalla, their heaven. In walked the uninvited 13th guest, the mischievous Loki. Once there, Loki arranged for Hoder, the blind god of darkness, to shoot Balder the Beautiful, the god of joy and gladness, with a mistletoe-tipped arrow. Balder died and the Earth got dark. The whole Earth mourned.
There is a Biblical reference to the unlucky number 13. Judas, the apostle who betrayed Jesus, was the 13th guest to the Last Supper.
A particularly bad Friday the 13th occurred in the middle ages. On a Friday the 13th in 1306, King Philip of France arrested the revered Knights Templar and began torturing them, marking the occasion as a day of evil.
In ancient Rome, witches reportedly gathered in groups of 12. The 13th was believed to be the devil.

Both Friday and the number 13 were once closely associated with capital punishment. In British tradition, Friday was the conventional day for public hangings, and there were supposedly 13 steps leading up to the noose.
It is traditionally believed that Eve tempted Adam with the apple on a Friday. Tradition also has it that the Flood in the Bible, the confusion at the Tower of Babel, and the death of Jesus Christ all took place on Friday.
Numerologists consider 12 a "complete" number. There are 12 months in a year, 12 signs of the zodiac, 12 gods of Olympus, 12 labors of Hercules, 12 tribes of Israel, and 12 apostles of Jesus. In exceeding 12 by 1, 13's association with bad luck has to do with just being a little beyond completeness.
FRIDAY THE 13TH - how is fear of the number thirteen demonstarted?
More than 80 percent of high-rises lack a 13th floor.
Many airports skip the 13th gate.
Airplanes have no 13th aisle.
Hospitals and hotels regularly have no room number 13.
Italians omit the number 13 from their national lottery.
On streets in Florence, Italy, the house between number 12 and 14 is addressed as 12 and a half.
Many cities do not have a 13th Street or a 13th Avenue
In France, socialites known as the quatorziens (fourteeners) once made themselves available as 14th guests to keep a dinner party from an unlucky fate.
Many triskaidekaphobes, as those who fear the unlucky integer are known, point to the ill-fated mission to the moon, Apollo 13.
If you have 13 letters in your name, you will have the devil's luck . Jack the Ripper, Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer, Theodore Bundy and Albert De Salvo all have 13 letters in their names.

10 countries I would love to visit

2007-04-13T12:25:00.000-04:00

1. New Zealand
2. Ireland
3. Germany
4. Australia
5. Brazil
6. China
7. England
8 Italy
9. Greece
10 Scotland

10 places I have lived, in order

2007-04-12T09:30:00.000-04:00

1. Killingworth Connecticut
2. Clinton Connecticut
3. Ansonia Connecticut
4. Tempe Arizona
5. New Haven Connecticut
6. West Haven Connecicut
7. East Haven Connecticut
8. Invernesss Florida
as far as the rest of the 10 list Ill have to wait and see where life takes me next.
Here are some pics of where I live now

My 10 favorite scents or smells

2007-04-11T09:08:00.000-04:00

Hyacinth
Roses even tho I am allergic to them
the seashore
coconut suntan lotion goes with the seashore I suppose
babies
dryer exhaust when using fabric softner sheets...weird I know lol
bacon cooking
brownies baking..like the smell better then the taste..Im actually allergic to chocolate which is a good thing since Im fat and diabetic lol
Basic Grey..hey Im a scrapbooker what would you expect?
pretty candles burning

My Favorite song

2007-04-03T21:21:00.000-04:00

My favorite song of all time is by Sara Evans and its called No Place That Far. This will always be my top favorite song of all time and always will be because it speaks directly to my soul.

I can't imagine, any greater fear
Then waking up, without you here,
And though the sun, will still shine on,
My whole world, would all be gone,
But not for long,

If I had to run, if I had to crawl
If I had to swim a hundred rivers, just to climb a thousand walls,
Always know that I will find a way, to get to where you are,
There's no place that far

It wouldn't matter why we're apart,
Lonely minds or two stubborn hearts
Nothing short of God above
Could turn me away from your love
I need you that much

If I had to run, if I had to crawl
If I had to swim a hundred rivers, just to climb a thousand walls,
Always know that I will find a way, to get to where you are,
There's no place that far

Baby there's no place that far

The reason why this song touches me so much is because I could have written it myself. I am a birthmother who was given no choice but to place my beloved first born child up for adoption. This song from the first verse where it says I cant imagine any greater fear then waking up and your not here was my reality for 18 years not knowing if my baby was okay was being loved and cared for properly or even alive.The rest of the song tells about my search for my daughter as I always knew I would one day find her. I had made that promise to Jess the last time i saw her when she was just three months old. With most of the states in the USA having closed adoption laws I knew it wouldnt be a easy feat to find her but it is something I had to do for her and for me as well. I was one of the very lucky ones and was able to reunite with my daughter. If I had to run, if I had to crawl
If I had to swim a hundred rivers, just to climb a thousand walls,
Always know that I will find a way, to get to where you are,
There's no place that far Baby and Im so glad I found you Jess.

I met Gretchen Wilson

2007-04-03T13:32:00.000-04:00

I am a country music and was delighted to meet her.As most of you know I work for the Key Training Center at a group home for devlopmentally disabled adults and every year there is a concert that attracts big name country music stars and they do a benefit for the Key........well this year Gretchen Wilson and Blake Shelton put on the concert and I got to meet talk to and welcome Gretchen Wilson when she came to a meet and greet at the Key Center our clients sang her a song and then they line danced to one of Gretchens songs and she joined in with them and my clients didnt miss a beat I was so proud of them and was glad to see gretchen is a nice lady. She is very personable very very down to earth I wasnt nervous in the least bit. She didnt look famous at all lol just like a ordinary lady. I sure wished that Blake would have shown up but then Id have made a danged fool out of myself drooling that boy is a beauty

2007-03-21T13:22:00.000-04:00

I’m totally stealing this from Lesle’s blog, which she stole from Christy's blog where she stole from someone else’s blog . . .

My “accomplishments” are in bold:

1. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
2. Swam with dolphins
3. Climbed a mountain
4. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
5. Been inside the Great Pyramid
6. Held a tarantula
7. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
8. Said “I love you” and meant it
9. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby’s diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment.
39. Had two hard drives for your computer and a 300 gig external!
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your CDs
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Posed nude in front of strangers
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love!
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an expert
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Eaten fugu (pufferfish)
89. Had a one-night stand
90. Gone to Thailand
91. Bought a house
92. Been in a combat zone
93. Buried one/both of your parents
94. Been on a cruise ship
95. Spoken more than one language fluently
96. Performed in Rocky Horror Picture Show
97. Raised children
98. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridgewell I drove
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds (45.5 kilograms)
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane I helped
109. Swam with a stingray
110. Broken someone’s heart
111. Ridden a bike
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African safari
115. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Touched a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad and The Odyssey
135. Selected one important author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone’s life

Boy I have done more then I thought lol

Happy Birthday BethieD

2007-03-21T02:32:00.001-04:00

Happy Birthday Beth
I hope the days come easy and the moments pass slow,
and each road leads you where you want to go,
and if you're faced with a choice, and you have to choose,
I hope you choose the one that means the most to you.
And if one door opens to another door closed,
I hope you keep on walkin' till you find the window,
if it's cold outside, show the world the warmth of your smile,
But more than anything, more than anything,
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
your dreams stay big, your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
and while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.
I hope you never look back, but you never forget,
all the ones who love you, in the place you left,
I hope you always forgive, and you never regret,
and you help somebody every chance you get,
Oh, you find God's grace, in every mistake,
and always give more than you take.
But More than anything, Yeah, more than anything,
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
your dreams stay big, your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
and while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish. Yeah.
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
your dreams stay big, your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
and while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.
This is my wish
I hope you know somebody loves you
May all your dreams stay big

My wish
My wish
my wish
Happy Birthday Sweetie I love you

News of the weird

2007-02-19T12:44:00.000-05:00

Transgendered patient Gina Tilley filed a lawsuit late last year against New York City plastic surgeon David Ostad (who has been cited by state medical authorities 11 times and sued 14 times), complaining that her 2004 saline breast implants had shifted to her armpits. [New York Post, 12-24-06]ok Im not a transgender by any stretch of the imagination nor do I have issues with anyone who is but I do have issues with this particular article because my natural boobs have shifted too!! Does that qualify me for the news of the weird or does it just make me old? lol something to ponder eh?

I got a new do

2007-02-15T13:10:00.000-05:00

I finally feel like myself Im a red head again I even feel sassier lol

yeah Im lame

2007-02-15T12:49:00.000-05:00

Ok what would you expect from a self proclaimed procrastinator? And a busy one at that! I have been outed once again on ScrapJazz for not updating my blog and once again it spurs me on to at least post here but I cant promise its going to be a regular thing lol.

Ok whats new? Hmmmm lots and nothing much all at the same time. Im super busy at work but I am coming off of working the night shifts and thats a good thing for me physically because it was too draining on me and made it impossible for me to regulate my insulin since Im a diabetic. The past few weeks Im putting in a average of 70 hours a week but hopefully soon it will lesson some. Im going to be working split shifts which means I go in twice a day but for less hours Ill be working 6-8 am then 230-830 Mon thru Friday. I think I can live with having weekends off after having worked weekends on a regular basis for over a year now. Im also moving to a new group home within my company. Ill miss my guys who I have come to love but the new clients are cool too and Im going to love them as well.

Caitlin is finally going back to the hospital where she can get the help she needs. Florida is so lame when it comes to mental health care they should be totally ashamed. They let this kid fall thru the cracks because there are no services here and that is a tradgedy and purely disgusting. Its because of this I regret moving to Florida but now Im stuck here.

My son is doing better but not back on his meds since he had that seizure which caused him to stop breathing and thank God I was home to give him CPR and keep him alive. He has been fighting the coxsackie virus for a couple of months with a relapse so Im not going to put him back on his medication until i as his mother feel it is safe. I have already lost 2 children and I refuse to lose another. When the school found out he still wasnt being medicated they sent out a social worker to my home who wanted to know why. I explained the above to her and she said oh my thats a difficult situation. I looked her square in the face and told her not its not its very simple He isnt going back on a medication that could cause him to have a grand mal seizure and stop breathing on me again. Plain and simple. Thats it thats all thats the way it is and they way its going to be until I see fit otherwise that he can safely be back on the meds. Try and fight me on this Florida and you'll be in for a bigger battle then you have ever seen.

Glenn and I are doing good even though Im not engaged like I would like to be but we are happy and thats what matters. Love is grand

I did it

2006-10-18T00:55:00.000-04:00

I went to my doctor today and told him I knew I was going into depression and asked to be put back on prozac. He had to ask me what my symptoms were so I played along letting him do the doctor thing and then he agreed I was depressed. It didnt take a brain surgeon to figure that one out lol. The way its affecting me the most is Im sooooo dead tired all the time if my body would cooperate with me for once I would sleep my day away and honeslty Im not too much of a sleeper. Give me five hours of uninterupted sleep and Im good to go. Sleeping more then that is a waste of time to me there are so many other things Id rather be doing. My ambition is suffering too so I didnt want to wait until I was deep in the throes of depression before I sought help for it. I want to kick this in the butt instead of it kicking mine.

Depression sucks

2006-10-12T15:18:00.000-04:00

I always think of myself as a fighter but Im also someone who likes to think positive so once again Im having to admit that depression is starting to sink its ugly teeth into my rear end. Ive known from past experiences that just willing it to go away doesnt work so Ive decided I need to make a appointment with my doctor and go back on antidepressants. I need to be the best person I can be because Im a mother and I refuse to let my kids down.

Six Best Things and Six Worst Things In Life

2006-10-05T19:07:00.000-04:00

Inspired by Karen/Kacomi of Scrapjazz

The six best things in my life have been:
1. Having all my children
2. Searching for and reuniting with my daughter Jessica
3. My family especially my sister Eileen and my Grandmother
4. Becoming strong enough to leave a marriage and move on to really start to live life
5. Meeting Glenn and experiencing being in love with him
6. Being a survivor on many many levels and having my weight loss surgery for it truly saved my life

The six worst things in my life:
1. Losing my beloved daughter first to adoption then to death
2. Predjuidice
3. Dealing with the state of Floriduhhhhhhhh
I cant think of anymore maybe because I tend to think of bad things as being opportunities to grow

Oscar tagged me

2006-10-04T11:31:00.000-04:00

5 weird things tag from Oscar

Weird things about myself
I was tagged by Oscar from Scrapjazz, these are the rules:
List 5 weird things about yourself or your pets.
Tag 5 friends and list them.
Then, those people need to write on their blogs about 5 weird things, and state the rules, and tag 5 more people.

1. I dont like being alone even though Im the adult I feel safer with my kids in the
house with me
2. I DO like liver
3. I am double jointed
4. I love having my feet rubbed and wish Glenn was a man with a foot fetish lmao
5. I found the love of my life online lol

the five girls I tag are Sizemore Ubergoober Lesfitz Leslemora and Dreamweaver

today you cant read Diary of a Happy White Woman

2006-09-26T18:06:00.000-04:00

why? Because I dont know where she is today because she sure the heck isnt inhabiting this body of mine today. Todays been really rough on me emotionally and Im always optimistic and positive but today has just stretched me to the end and back even rubber bands lose their resilience if they are stretched too much. But unlike a rubber band I do have faith I will snap back so I quess Im not totally negative so thats a good thing after all. I will always have faith and hope and that will carry me on days Im not happy and will remind me to carry on that things are always temporary and given time it will get better as I now from past life experience guess theres something good to having some time on this earth of ours under your belt

My life path Number is 2

2006-09-26T03:41:00.000-04:00

Your Life-Path number is probably the most influential numerological aspect to be considered. This number is determined by your birth date and represents who you are at this time. It indicates specific traits that are present and will likely be active and influential throughout your lifetime. It is the overall number that determines much of what will be important to you and how you will handle things as they come.

If your Life-Path number is TWO, your life is likely to be characterized by productive interaction with others. You will have a strong sense of fairness and the profound ability to keep things in balance with others. Key words for a TWO Life-Path number are cooperation, mediation, consideration of others, partnering, and adaptability.

As a TWO, you’re likely to be extremely sensitive and care deeply for others. You like to see the best in others and want the best for them.
As long as you take care to protect yourself against deceit and equally want the best for yourself, your life is likely to be one of enhancing the lives of others. Trust your instincts where others are concerned and check things out if you have any feelings that are unsettling. Better safe than sorry.

In a crisis, you’re the one to have around as your sound judgement and stable nature will handle most anything. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself the local mediator for most everyone. You (and others) will recognize that you can be unbiased in even the most complicated scenarios. This passion for others can lead to difficulty for you in saying ‘no’ even when this is what you truly feel. You may have to work at balancing your counseling and mediation demands with adequate time for yourself and your own troubles as they arise.

A TWO’S life purpose may well be to gather people together, to strike cooperation and encourage team spirit. Keeping the peace and directing a group’s energy can produce amazing results. Honest, stable and tactful, a TWO can do much. You may have to watch for lethargy and passivity. Apathy can also develop if you don’t keep yourself involved.

Keeping yourself motivated and in touch can be challenging and a TWO can find themselves in a rut before they know it. Other people bring the best out in a TWO. With this in mind, isolation is often damaging to the spirit.

Because of the TWO’S love of an amiable environment, business partnerships that foster tremendous competition may not be suitable. Consider choosing partnerships that allow your talent for bringing others together in the spirit of cooperation and accomplishment to flourish.

I was just surfing the net and came upon a site and while I dont beleive in this kind of stuff I found this pretty interesting and for the most part accurate for me but that also being said generally things like horoscopes are just that very general and can pertain to almost anyone who reads it lol.

14 Simple Pleasures

2006-09-26T03:06:00.000-04:00

1. waking up every day
2. sunrise at dawn with a cup of coffee on my front porch
3. seeing the first flower in spring emerging from the snow laden earth
4. witnessing the streaks of sunshine radiating golden rays towards earth
5. a babies laugh
6. Diet Mountain Dew
7. stacks of patterned paper
8. a found moment from the busy day just to listen to nothing at all
9. a phonecall from a friend who you havent talked to in awhile
10. coming home from a trip to the corner and your dog is happy to see you
11. a butterfly lighting on a flower
12. being called mom
13. phone dates every night
14. taking nothing for granted

My Everyday Life

2006-09-26T02:16:00.000-04:00

I think the reason why I find it so hard to keep up with my blog is that I dont have that many interesting things going on in my everyday life. Im just the ordinary lady you see around your town as you go about your business but you hardly notice. Im not loud or showy and tend to shy away from being even close to the center of attention. Im the single mom who works hard at raising her children doing the best she can with what she has. Im the hardworking mom who works long hours doing a job she is lucky to truly love to put a roof over her kids heads and meet more then their basic needs even though her children dont realize that right now there may come a day they will and hopefully be appreciative. Im the peacemaker and the nurturer the one you can come to in a time of need and Ill always do my best to comfort you if it is at all possible. Im the woman who always has time but is always running short on hours of the day. Im your ordinary woman living your ordinary life in a extraordinary world who at times has faced immeasurable challeges but yet I struggle through the muddle because I know the end of the journey has great rewards I will not be able to fathom at this point in time. Im very family orientated and family is my greatest gift. I love freely and openly I dont put limitations on my heart because to me that would be a travesty. Im the woman you see every day living the ordinary life and enjoying every minute of it. Would I change my everyday ordinary life? No because it has made me who I am.

Its all about the 7's baby

2006-07-13T11:15:00.000-04:00

7 people I admire1.Mother Theresa 2. Ghandi for their compassion 3.Oprah for all the charitable things she does 4.Abraham Lincoln one of my favorite presidents 5.Rudy Guiliani for his leadership and courage during 9/11 6.My grandmother Ganny Louise McAviney truly one of the greatest people I have ever known 7. my daughter Caitlin who has been through so much yet remains optimistic.
7 things I say often1. I love you 2.Nah 3.oh wow 4.cool 5.oh man 6. good job 7.dang
7 things I can not do1.sing 2.dance 3. be graceful lol 4. think without letting my heart rule 5. stop procrastinating 6. get totally organized 7. be extravagant
7 things to do before I die1. lose more weight 2. get healthy 3. swim with the dolphins 4. skydive 5. get married 6. publish my book 7. live alot more
7 things I admire about my boyfriend Glenn1. his honesty 2.his compassion 3. his wit 4. his faith 5. hey he is cute hehe 6.his southern drawl 7.he is fun to be around
7 books I could read again 1. Shawshank Redemption 2. Needful Things 3. Bag of Bones 4. The Green Mile 5. Misery 6. Salems Lot 7. Skeleton Crew
7 Favorite Movies1. Schindlers List 2 The Sound of Music 3. Saving Private Ryan 4 The Green Mile 5. Silence of the Lambs 6. The Wizard of Oz 7. Full Metal Jacket
7 people who should do 7 1. Nancyroo 2. AshleyS 3. Oscar 4. LesleMora 5. Floridascrapper 6. ChristinaP 7. Kacomi

Christinekay's Blog Challenge

2006-07-13T10:40:00.000-04:00

Okay so I posted on Scrapjazz about needing some blog challenges or topics and Christinekay wanted to see how ugly a job I did on whacking my Florida jungle backyard ask and ye shall receive but I warn you it isnt pretty but it would have been even uglier had I cut my finger off using my bushwhacker

Neens Blog Challenge

2006-07-12T23:26:00.000-04:00

7 DEADLY SINS

PRIDE – Which of your attributes or talents are you most proud of?I would have to say my sense of compassion. I have been through alot in my life and it has enabled me to be more empathetic understanding and loving
ENVY – What brings out the green-eyed monster of jealousy in you? This is really hard to answer I am so not a jealous person I guess I would have to say when I see people with babies but it is more a longing then a jealousy
SLOTH – What’s your idea of relaxation?well if I could sleep I would say sleep but since I dont get much sleep I would say either talking on the phone on being online sometimes both at the same time
LUST – Who do you lust after?umm Glenn?
GREED – What was your last budget blow out on?I just replaced a washing machine and a dishwasher
ANGER – What gets your blood boiling?Predjudice I hate it in any form
GLUTTONY – What’s your favourite food?truly depends on the moment and what Im in the mood for but shrimp or shellfish is usually good

Im a wet sore tree whacking mess

2006-07-12T15:42:00.000-04:00

I bought a bush trimmer in hopes that I would get my yard looking good and was really hoping that what I bought would only cut limbs from my bushes and trees and not me lol. I was looking at small chainsaws but the thought of using one absolutley terrified me as I dont even have good luck with my riding lawn mower. I have caught it up on my gardens edging and even hit my new car with it. Yes Im dangerous around mechanical equipment but hey Im a woman and thats a mans job lol. Oh yeah I also took down a downed power line with my lawn mower just ask Glenn about that lol. So I was at Lowes yesterday and bought the bushtrimmer which is like a baby chainsaw I read the instructions and safety instructions and as my luck would have it I did get careless and almost had a accident because I was totally not thinking and put my hand in front of the gaurd and umm noticed my finger was only about 2 inches from the blade egads that scare sure opened my eyes I made a mental notation to not do that again as I am kind of attached to my limbs and like it that way. Anyways I did trim the bushes and cut down quite a bit of Florida jungle in my back yard today it looks like hell but the last time I did it with the manual hedge clippers it still looked like hell and this time it was alot easier to get them to look like that

A to Z about Me

2006-07-11T16:31:00.000-04:00

A: My age is 45 how did I get to be that old I dont know I think I was born too soon.
B: Bashful thats what I am and one of the things I would love to change the most about
me even though my friends will laugh if I say Im shy but I truly am they just dont
know how outgoing my innerself really is.
C. I was born Cathleen Louise Jones and my daughter is named Caitlin which is gaelic
for Cathleen but I didnt know that at that time I chose her name I just loved it and
still do.
D. My dog is named Buster he is a Llaso Alpso with a bad overbite and my faithful
shadow.
E. I have one sister and her name is Eileen. Im lucky to have her in my life
F. I am very faithful.
G. Glenn the love of my life.
H. The above mentioned always makes me happy.

I. I am madly in love with the person who is letter G on my list.
K. K.K.K. I absolutley detest predjudice of any kind.
L. I hope my legacy I leave to others is that they all know how much they are loved.
M. Motherhood has been my greatest job and honor I have ever had.
N. Nicholas my little man who now towers over me.
O. Opportunties always exsist to me although I may be afraid to explore them.
P. Passions are important in living a rewarding life Im lucky I have many.
Q. Query I am always a inquisitive person and I ask alot of questions thats how I
became a diva on Scrapjazz lol.
R. Roadtrips I love them and have been across the country several times and have been
to every state except Alaska and Washington.
S. Sunshine everyone should lead a life filled with sunshine and happiness.
T. Treasure of all the great treasures the world has to offer the only ones that
truly matter are those you have in your life who you love and love you back. Im
very wealthy.
U. Im often told Im unique. I take that as a compliment.
V. Vital to me is my faith and hope for with those nothing is impossible.
W. Watermelon I think I could live off it.
X. Im old enopugh to know what a xerox is
Y. Youthful Im told often I look youthful for my age I enjoy hearing that lol
Z. ZZZZZZZZZ's are ever elusive to me.

My sister my friend I love you Eileen

2006-07-11T15:50:00.000-04:00

My sister Eileen where do I start to tell you about Eileen? Or even more of a monumental task to let you know how much she means to me? Ill start on the morning of November 20 1969 when my mom went to her scheduled OB appointment and her doctor told her to go across the street to the hospital because she was going to give birth that day. I had been at school and saw my grandmother standing there when my two brothers and I got off the school bus and I excitley ran up to Ganny and asked her what she was doing there and she explained Mommy had the baby today and we all chimed in at the same time to ask the most important question we all had "what is it a boy or a girl?" When Ganny said a girl I screamed in delight while my brothers only groaned and walked into the house I was too busy dancing in the driveway and whooping it up I have a sister!!! Thirty six years later I can still honestly say I can still whoop it up I have a sister!! I was nine years and 18 days old when my sister was born and some people might think that that is a huge age difference for siblings to be so close but we were always close and no matter what direction or path our lives take us on we will always be close. The bond of sisters is so special to me I could never explain it to anyone who isnt as close as we are.........its just such a intense love and friendship that is always there and never taken for granted and always appreciated. My life is always better because Eileen was born I cant explain it so Ill just say I love you with all my heart Eileen but you already know that

Yes I am a stale blogger

2006-07-11T15:37:00.000-04:00

Oh boy Im a self admitted stale blogger . I wonder if it is because I am also a self admitted procrastinator? Im sure that has oodles and oodles to do with it. It could also be that I have only had a couple of days off from my job this month and when Im off of work Im just too tired to post. Maybe its because I dont think many people actually read my blog so who am I to care if it is stale because I already know its stale lol. Maybe there is no real good reason why its stale and it just is all I know is when I saw on someones blog that I was a stale blogger I almost died laughing and then to read Nancys post today about stale bloggers it was the kick in the pants I needed to get fresh again because I cant think of much of anything thats good stale....well maybe except for stale peeps hehe now off to think of a topic

Yes I love him

2006-05-05T13:07:00.000-04:00

It has been said all we need are three things in life: Something to do..something to look forward to..and someone to love..with you I have all three

You can't stop loving or wanting to love because when its right, it's the best thing in the world. When you're in a relationship and it's good, even if nothing else in your life is right, you feel like your whole world is complete

“Love knows no limit to its endurance, no end to its trust, no fading of its hope; it can outlast anything. Love still stands when all else has fallen.”

“When you smiled you had my undivided attention. When you laughed you had my urge to laugh with you. When you cried you had my urge to hold you. When you said you loved me, you had my heart forever.”

I love Glenn with all my heart. Glenn is the sweetest nicest man I have ever had the pleasure to meet and Im so lucky he is in love with me.I could only dream before of finding someone as wonderful as he is but loving him proves that dreams do come true if you wait and beleive. I love you Glenn

My Mom is at peace

2006-05-05T11:09:00.000-04:00

The following is taken from a layout I did for my Book of Me its the journaling about my mom
Did you know Mom that I never felt loved by you?
Did you know Mom I dont ever remember you telling
me that you loved me as a child and it wasnt until
we talked about it as adults that I can remember
you saying you loved me?
Did you know Mom how much it hurt me when I got
pregnant as a teen and you forced me into placing
my baby up for adoption?
Did you know Mom that when I had to do that it
killed my soul and robbed me of happiness for
so many years of my life?
Did you know Mom that it hurt even more because
you were embarrassed because I wasnt married and yet
you were pregnant when you got married?
Did you know Mom because I longed so much to feel
love that I married the first man that told me he loved me?
Did you know Mom that it wasnt the kind of love I longed for
and spent twenty years of my life in a dysfunctional marraige?
Did you know Mom that when I lost my second baby
because he was born too early that I thought I was being
punished by God for giving up my first for adoption?
Did you know Mom that when I gave birth to Caitlin and you
were so happy about it that it hurt so bad because I wanted
you to be just as happy as when I gave birth to my firstborn?
Did you know Mom that it was hard when she was a newborn
to bond with her because I was afraid someone would take her
away from me too?
Did you know Mom that when I had children of my own that I
learned what it was like to unconditionally love childrem?
Did you know Mom that I grew up to be a more compassionate
and loving person?
Did you know Mom I learned from my childhood how NOT
to love?
Did you know Mom that I no longer have a need to search for
love because I know how to love myself for who I am?
Did you know Mom that it made me a better person with a huge
heart that knows how to love wel?
Do you know Mom that I have accepted it for what it was but will
never truly understand?
Do you know Mom that I forgive you?
Do you know Mom that I love you and always have?
Would you do it different if you only knew Mom?

I have always loved my mom and I am truly happy she is at peace now

Friday Blog Challenge

2006-05-05T09:58:00.002-04:00

Write about some item you find beauty in that many others might not

I am able to see beauty that others may not always see but I think if they took the time they could see all the beauty that passes them by unnoticed and unappreciated. Unfotunatley death has taught me some valuable lessons .I learned upon the death of my daughter that there are so many things in life that are the little tiny things that sometimes may seem inconsequential but they really add up and strengthen the fibers that tie our lives together. I see beauty in the barren trees of winter because i have faith that come spring the new tender buds will erupt and bright green shoots of new leaves will soon become beautiful once again. I also think there is beauty in everyone even someone that most people would not want to look twice at such as a homeless person on the street but if you took the time to look twice and sometimes even more you fill find beauty. Beauty is not always evident and the beauty that is evident is just glitter but the kind of beauty you have to seek and find and you will find it if you look hard enough is pure gold.

Im a doll collector

2006-05-04T12:34:00.000-04:00

When I was a little girl my grandmother who we called Ganny had a porcelin baby doll that her parents gave her from Germany when she was just a little girl herself that I really loved but not as much as my Ganny. Ganny always said to me that when I was older that she would give the doll to me but somehow my mom claimed it even though it was promised to me. It sat for a few years in my moms dresser till it somehow was claimed by me lol. I started collecting Yolanda Bello dolls when I was pregnant with my daughter Caitlin with the intention of giving them to her when she is older. Maybe one of these days she will claim them too

Another Blog Challenge

2006-05-04T11:36:00.000-04:00

You wake up with amnesia. You don't remember anything. What would you use to help you remember who you are, and all about your life? What stories and memories would you want your family friends and SO to tell you to help you become yourself again?
Boy this is hard because I feel like every single thing I have ever experienced has had a impact on me whether it is good or bad and has helped shaped me into who I am. I would definatley want to remember it all the good the bad and the ugly because I think if some facet was missing then I truly wouldnt be me anymore and I enjoy being me. I would use my Book Of Me, my scrapbooks, family videos, and stories from family and friends to help me regain my lost memories to get a sense of who I was in a attempt to integrate them back into who I am now. I would want to know the stories of all the people I have loved in my life and those who loved me. I would want to know about the births of all my children and also the deaths of my two kids I lost. I would want to know about my childhood and how it impacted me further on in my adult life.Mainly I have to say Id want to know about love though as that is the most important thing in life

My first job a trip down memory lane

2006-05-04T09:25:00.000-04:00

What was your first job? Today we are going to blog about our first, actual paycheck, job. Was it good bad or just ugly? What was it like, did you love it or hate it, do you miss it? Kinda like a trip down memory lane. This is a blogger challenge set up by my friend Beth on Scrapjazz. Actually I should call it a trip down Marshall Lane because that is where I had my first job. I had volunteered at Marshall Lane Manor when I was a young teenager because I so wanted to work there as a nursing assistant and they hired me when I turned sixteen. I loved my first job totally loved it. It was a physch nursing home and we had a variety of patients all of which I loved especially Pinky. Pinky was a little man of short statureand downs syndrome with a loving heart made of gold. Pinky couldnt verbalize much but his facial expressions and his hugs said it all. I was only sixteen and could remember coming home so exhausted I would be in bed taking a nap whenever I could lol.I can totally remember getting my first paycheck and the sense in pride I took in it. It wasnt much back in the day but I was on top of the world. I went and opened up my first bank account and deposited some of it and then went and bought everyone in my family a small gift because I could with my own money.I had to walk to work and back home because back then if you wanted something you worked to earn it and my parents werent just going to hand me a car or let me use the family car so I eventually saved enough and bought my own used car a red Vega baby woo hoo thought it looked sporty lol when I was nineteen. My job taught me to know what responsibility is and set me on a career path of caring for others which I find rewarding even to this day twenty nine years later.

A Day At The Lake

2006-05-04T00:22:00.000-04:00

I have been overcome by the beauty and richness of our life together, those early mornings setting out, those evenings gleaming with rivers and lakes below us, still holding the last light.

I have always loved the water whether it be a lake a river or the ocean. It is without a doubt one of my favorite places on this great earth of ours to be. Being near the water brings me peace and comforts me in such a way that no other surrounding can do. To be at the water with one of my favorite people in the world is just divine.

While we were there that day we saw a motor boat with a raft in tow with the guy flying thru the air as if the raft was a kite. It looked like so much fun. I would have done it in a heartbeat!!

Some of the things I love about Florida

2006-05-03T23:48:00.000-04:00

I love the natural beauty all around me here in Florida. I have always been a gardener so moving here to the south and a different climate is delightful as I continue to discover my new surroundings. I totally love seeing palm trees in my own neighborhood and the spanish moss hanging from the great oak trees while the gentle breezes blow in from the gulf. I love all the lakes and the spring fed rivers where the water is crystal clear and the fish are absolutley abundant and stunning to see and if your lucky you will even get to see a manatee.
Florida’s springs are a visible sign of rivers that run underground and then turn toward the surface where they discharge their clear, clean water into a pond. Many Florida rivers are really surface extensions of underground streams. They flow outward from a spring, supporting countless plants and animals with their temperate water.

Lakes in Citrus County can be small enough to swim across or large enough to support power boats, water skiing and even sailing. The Chain of Lakes near Inverness links several large lakes into a continuous body of water more than 20 miles in length.

Where spring-fed freshwater rivers flow into the Gulf of Mexico, a combination of stable temperature, even in winter, and the mixing of fresh and salt water, supports North America’s largest gathering of manatees and many other aquatic creatures including Florida’s famous and delicious blue crabs.

These are all pictures from my town

This IS cow town baby

2006-05-03T23:00:00.000-04:00

Inverness is called natures suncoast of Florida and Citrus County is the Manatee Capitol of the world and it truly is a spectacular place to live as far as wildlife and birds go what strikes me most is the amount of cows and cattle here. Ocala is known for its raising of throughbreed horses and Florida is second only to Texas in cattle but for this city girl transplanted here in the rural south it is still a sight to be enjoyed.

2006-05-03T22:40:00.000-04:00

well here you are reading the diary of a happy white woman and just in case your wondering who that is... it's me! I am new to blogging and I was trying to come up with a name that was befitting so I ran with a spin on the Diary Of A Mad Black Woman and turned it around to fit me. :)

My name is Cathy Sandy and I currently reside in what I call cow town otherwise known as Inverness Florida. Its been almost two years since I moved down here with my two kids and dog in tow and Im still adjusting to it somedays I wonder if I ever will lol.