Monday, December 29, 2008

Flaws

When someone points out a flaw in you? And I don't mean like a snag in your sweater... I mean like a character flaw. Do you get defensive and say no way? Do you get defensive but wonder inside if they're right? Do you automatically think they are right?Someone pointed out what they see as a flaw in my character. At first I was pissed off, and started thinking of a litany of excuses and reasons... and then I stopped. Because I started realizing they were probably right. They said that emotionally I'm either really good, or really bad... never just middle of the road. Now I'm gonna qualify a little and say "never is a little strong" but the general gist of it is right. So now.. what do I do about it. How do you be authentic and tlel people what's really up with you? Does this mean I should always be up? Always perky? Always sunshine and smiles? Does it mean I go through what I go through and deal with the crap but keep my eye on the good things? Does it mean that some people get to only see that side? Does it mean that maybe one or two people get to see all the way in? Is that fair to them? Isn't life about ups and downs? Do I let them show too much? But then I also have people telling me to never change who I am.Hmmmmm.........

Target I Thee Wed

I have been shopping at Target since I was a toddler. I remember very vividly going to the Target in Burnsville, MN, going to the little kids section and using helpful tags with colorful animals to pick out FINE Garanimals outfits. Target outfitted me for the first day of school from Kindergarten to my 2nd Senior Year of college. Target has helped me select the perfect presents for friends and family. Target has provided years of retail therapy. Target has been a haven on a rainy day and a wonderful friend in a pinch.

Both of my girls knew the Bullseye meant Target long before many other words they knew. Target cheers me when I'm sad, calms me when I'm angry, and shares in my triumphs. I literally walk into Target and my blood pressure goes down. Target is home. Target, thereby, is the perfect man. Just for some fun - just check out this site -it's the History of Target! Click on "it starts here" and then if you click on the community tab and then the 1900-1950's tab - see the building that comes up? That the building I worked in when I was a professional gift-wrapper. Target was originally opened by the Dayton corporation, and I worked for Daytons. Eventually Target became the major corporation and they sold Daytons to Macy's (yuck - their one and only Bad Move).I once went on a weekend road trip JUST to go to a Super Target.....Are you feeling how much I adore Target

Monday, December 15, 2008

Scattergories

It's harder than it looks! Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following... they have to be real places, names, things...nothing made up! Try to use different answers if the person in front of you had the same 1st initial. You CAN'T use your name for the boy/girl name. . . What is your name...........................Beth
4 Letter Word...................................Bath
Vehicle.............................................Bug
City.................................................Berlin
Boy Name........................................Buford
Girl Name........................................Bertha
Alcoholic drink..................................Beach, Sex on the
Occupation........................................Body Builder
Something you wear...........................Bra
Celebrity...........................................Benni Hana
Food.................................................Bologna
Something found in bathroom…........... Bubble Bath (2 POINTS!!!!)
Reason for being late........................... Bus bearing boy band broke (5 POINTS!!!!)
Cartoon Character.............................. Betty Boop (2 thank you)
Something you shout...........................BOLLOCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Animal.............................................Beaver
Body part.........................................(anyone else just giggle?) Back
Word to describe you...........................Bubbly

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Soundtrack of My Life

Soundtrack to my life
Directions: If your life was a movie, what would the soundtrack be?
So, here's how it works: 1. Open your music library or mp3 player 2. Put it on shuffle. 3. Press Play. 4. For every question, type the song that's playing. 5. When you go to a new question, press the Next button. 6. Don't lie and try to pretend you're cool. 7. Don't skip songs.
My Movie:
(1) Opening credits: I Can Hear Music - The Beach Boys
(2) Waking up: Not Sorry - Cranberries
(3) First day of school: I Ain't in Checotah Anymore - Carrie Underwood
(4) Fight Song: Don't You Forget About Me - Simple Minds
(5) Breaking up: Winner at a Loosing Game - Rascal Flatts (Now THAT'S funny)
(6) Happiness: Pink Panther Theme - Henry Mancini
(7) Life's okay: Believe Me Now - Steven Curtis Chapman
(8) Mental breakdown: this is WAY too funny - Land of Confusion - Genesis
(9) Driving: Every Heartbeat (Body & Soul Version) - Amy Grant
(10) Flashback: Crashed - Daughtry
(11) Getting back together: Place In This World - Michael W. Smith
(12) Wedding: Look What Love's Revealing - Vince Gill
(13) Birth of a child: Dancing Queen - ABBA
(14) Final battle: Daisy Dukes...... 69 Boyz
(15) Death scene: Far Away - Nickelback
(16) Funeral song: Chicken Dance - Techno Mix (LOL)
(17) End credits: You've Got A Friend - James Taylor (Awwwwww)

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

LIst

1. Where is your cell phone? Right in front of me.
2. Where is your significant other? Who?
3. Your hair?Are they asking where is my hair? Cuase it's on top of my head. Are they asking color - blonde... with some help from a bottle.
4. Your mother? My hero
.5. Your father? I'm sure he's somewhere praying right now.
6. Your favorite thing? My cell phone.
7. Your dream last night? ??????
8. Your favorite drink? Diet Coke
9. Your dream/goal? To raise my children well.
The room you're in? Living room...
.11. Your hobby? Photography
12. Your fear? Someone taking one of my girls.
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Somewhere with my girls
.14. Where were you last night? At the Biltmore estate taking pictures.
15. What you're not? Stupid
16. Muffins? Lemon poppyseed.
17. One of your wish list items? New camera
18. Where you grew up? Minnesota
19. The last thing you did? Went potty.
20. What are you wearing? Jeans & tshirt
21. Your TV? Is playing something I don't know what.
22. Your pets? Are long gone and I miss some of them.
23. Your computer? I adore
24. Your life? Stressful
25. Your mood? Stressed
26. Missing someone? Yep
27. Something you're not wearing? Bra
29. Favorite store? TARGET
31. Like someone? Like lots of people
30. Your summer? We will be OUTSIDE
32. Your favorite color? BLUE
33. When is the last time you laughed? About 2 minutes ago.
35. Who will resend this? I hate that question.
36. Food? Pizza
37. Favorite word? Hoity Toity

Thursday, September 18, 2008

You know you're the mom of girls when...

You have three loads of laundry - lights, darks and pinks

Monday, August 11, 2008

Katie Funny

Okay... so it's been a while since I posted a funny kid story. But this one made me laugh so hard, I had to share.Tonight we were all sitting on my bed. Katie pooted... the... scent.. reached me and I said "Jeez Kate, your butt stinks." She says "That's because I didn't brush the teeth of it."I laughed SOOOOOO hard...then she told me "Mommy, it wasn't all that funny."Which made me laugh harder

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

From MB

Top 5 things on my iPod:
Love Can Change Your Mind - Lonestar
Looking For You - Amy Grant
Beth - Kiss (DUH)
Second Chance - Trisha Yearwood
When You Lie Next To Me - Kellie Coffey

Top 5 things in my Pantry/Fridge:
Bing Cherries
Sunkist Oranges
Wheat pasta
Skim Milk
Britta pitcher of water

Top 5 pieces of clothing:
Long black dress
Black flip flops with plaid straps
Red Jacket
Thongs
New white socks

Top 5 TV shows currently watching:
Friends Repeats
Deadliest Catch
Sponge Bob (NOT my choice)
How Do I Look
Whose Wedding is it Anyways

Top 5 things you're tired of saying
I don't care if it's your sisters toy, you were playing with it, you put it away.
Do NOT eat in the living room
We can't go to the pool when it's raining
GET BACK IN BED
We can't afford it

Top 5 things you wish you could do today
Meet MB
Win a small amount of money in a lottery
Quit working and do what I want to do
Hire a maid
Buy a new car

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Life

Life sure doesn't ever take the path you think it will does it? You see something on the horizon and you walk towards it and keep you eye on it, and then next thing you know, you're headed for a different point in the horizon! But then you realize that THAT point is SO much better than the one you were one fixed on...So.. you head towards the new point, and you KNOW it's a long haul, and that there may be new directions on the way, or there may not be. But you head towards it.. cause it feels more amazing than anything you could have ever dreamed anything could feel...

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Dumb

Update - So, I post this in the morning. I get home in the afternoon and there's a bill in my mailbox from my old cable company in Minnesota. I was a little miffed, since I know I paid them the final amount due. I open the envelope - there's a 3 page bill, and a return envelope, and a message on the bill that says "Your account is currently past due, please remit payment as soon as possible to avoid further action." And what's the amount due? -.53 THAT'S NEGATIVE 53 CENTS!!! They owe ME money, and yet they spent the money for 3 pages of bills, a return envelope and postage. THAT'S REDICULOUS!!! And then it really chaps my hide when I think of the letter I got from the President of the cable company last fall that said they were sorry but because of rising costs, they were going to have to raise the rates. WELL IF YOU DIDN'T DO STUFF LIKE THIS MAYBE YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO!!!!!!!!!!!!!**********************************************************************************I get to watch Fox News all day at work (Unless there's a playoff in a certain golf tournament and then I get to watch a golf)... so I hear about the economy and businesses having short falls and bad quarters. Well you know what, I've been around enough of corporate America these days to tell you that at least some of their trouble seems to come from plain, old fashioned stupid money and expense management. Examples I have seen:A SINGLE peice of paper sent from a corproate office to a branch office. In a large envelope. The postage cost .88... for ONE piece of paper. This company has thousands of branches, so start doing some math... for just this one instance. HmmmmChecks sent for .22, .19, .12. And not just a few... LOTS of checks. With .42 cent postage on them. Printed on check stock. Yeah... there's NO WAY that makes sense.Paying for utilities for years at a location that is no longer occupied by the company. One company I worked for I found places where we had been out of the location for close to 5 years, and had never had the utilities taken out of our name. In one case the total amount we had paid was well over $24,000. That's CRAZY.When you just catch a glance of this kind of stuff, you think "eh, it's not that much money" but when to start to look deeply and start to do the math, these can be serious issues. And signs of stupidity that drive me NUTS

Monday, June 9, 2008

Ahem?

I sent two e-mails last night - one to McCain and one to Obama - same e-mail, just to see what kind of response I would get. Basically it was a "what are you going to do for those of us living paycheck to paycheck who aren't even sure how we're going to pay for gas to get to work in the morning." Wanna know the replies I got?McCain's camp sent nothing, Obama's sent a letter asking for donations.I think I'll be voting for myself.

Saturday, June 7, 2008

Stuff

The girls are at their dad's for 11 days. I'm looking foward to doing some cleaning and organizing and reading and watching what I want on tv and working out in the evening and maybe even hitting the parkway at night... Those are good things. The quiet is kind of a good thing... Not having to wake up Cranky & Grumpy is a VERY good thing. Not getting a kiss goodbye in the morning - NOT a good thing. Kjersten will be home for less then 12 hours between when she gets back from her dad's and when she leaves for California. I'm so glad she gets to go, but I'm going to miss her tremendously.Now - for the reason behind the title - I called over there this morning to say good morning to the girls (Katie was still asleep). Kjersten was.... DOING THE DISHES FOR GRANNY!!! Did you feel the earth move?? I just about fell over. WOW!! Good work Kjersten!!!!Kjersten got her report card yesterday. North Carolina uses letter grades in elementary school, whereas Minnesota uses S, NS, E... and some other stuff I was never very fond of. Well, Kjersten got 3 C's and 2 B's. The C's were in reading, writing and rithmatic basically :) The b's were in Social Studies and Science. Honestly, I'm VERY proud of her. She switched states, schools, homes etc towards the end of the school year and landed in a school that was MUCH more advanced than the one she came from. She's worked her BUTT off to catch up AND try to fit in. I'm INCREDIBLY proud of her. (Are you getting the idea that I'm proud of her)Katie... Katie Katie Katie Katie... last night we were looking for something she wanted to take to her dads. I was looking and I said "I KNOW it's around here somewhere! It's gotta be right under my nose and I'm just not seeing it." Katie turns to me and says "Well mommy - you do have yellow hair." Yes, ladies and gentlemen, that's right, I was the victim of a 5-year-olds blonde joke... Heaven help me.

Sunday, June 1, 2008

Stuff

Because of my impending divorce and a house that won't sell and an unemployed ex-husband, I'm struggling financially... badly... REALLY badly. Badly enough that I had to suck it up and take my girls and I down to Social Services and sign up for food stamps. I hated EVERY SINGLE MINUTE of it. I was embarrassed and ashamed and just... I hated it. But I need to feed my girls... so it had to be done.So the other day I was on a blog (I don't think it was anyone in this circle of bloggers) and the woman was ranting about someone in the grocery store line checking out with her items and one of the items was a pack of gum, and she had the NERVE to pay for that with her food stamps. She went on and on and her commenters went on and on about how horrible that was, and that that was what the whole problem with the welfare system is and on and on.And quite honestly, a few years ago I might have joined in - perhaps not quite so vehemently, but I would have at least been nodding my head.But let me tell you a possibility. MAYBE the lady was just like me. Maybe she had two daughters that she LOVED SO MUCH, and maybe she was SO TIRED of having to say "no, we can't afford that" to everything her daughters asked for. And I bet they weren't greedy girls, just normal kids who would like a new toy now and then. But she just didn't have the money to do it. And maybe her girls think gum is a pretty freaking cool treat. And maybe she saw that gum, and thought "Oh WOW! I can finally get them one thing... I can say yes to something. They are going to be SO EXCITED." And so she bought the $1.19 pack of gum, with her foodstamps.Maybe.. just maybe... we have NO right to judge ANYONE because we NEVER know the whole story, do we?

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Thoughts

Someone implied to me that my being upset about the Chapman's situation was rather "silly" because I don't really know them. That person obviously doesn't know me very well. Music is more than something I have on in the background when I'm cleaning the house. Music is how God talks to me. Music is how I express my emotions. I wish for anything that I could write songs that express my feelings, but I can't, so I find ones that do and I embrace them and they calm me or they drive me or the make me laugh or... I guess I can't explain it in words that someone who doesn't have the same relationship to music would understand. I've been listening to SCC since 1988 or 89? And it all started by accident. I was looking for this song called "Said and Done" and someone said he had done the song. Well, I bought the tape (it was in a blue case - anyone remember those days?) and it turned out to not be the song I was looking for, but I fell in love with SCC. I bought ever single album he put out (Amy Grants the only other person I can say that about). It seemed he ALWAYS had a song that spoke exactly what I was feeling.When I was a freshman in college he came to Bethel. We had front row seats. He told us about his little tiny baby - Will Franklin - and how he had been born early just 3 weeks prior to that concert, and how things had been a little touch and go and we prayed for little Will Franklin that night. I went to many more of his concerts where he was always sharing little anecdotes about his kids. I read lots of articles about the family and was excited for them when they began adopting. So no, I don't KNOW them personally, but I know them. And I have a 5-year-old little girl (almost the exact same age as little Maria), and I can't imagine the pain of her not being in my life. I can't imagine the pain of trying to deal with your own grief while trying to minister to your son who was behind the wheel when this happened. I can't imagine trying to help your other children deal with the horror of witnessing the accident. I can't imagine trying to help your oldest daughter go through the highest moment in her life (getting engaged last weekend) and the lowest within the span of just a couple days. I can't imagine trying to celebrate your sons hard work in graduating from high school while trying to deal with all this other pain. So my heart is broken for them. I ache for them. And I hug my babies.... tight. And I cry... because it hurts. And that's who I am

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Katie

Katie had Kindergarten registration today. The lady asked her if she could skip. Katie said "Yes I can, because my toenails match my skirt"