I Have Been Linked!

So I'm still fairly new to this whole blogging thing and I often look to my good friend Sarah and her blog http://applepiespice.blogspot.com/ for tips, ideas, or just a good read.  While stalking her page today I came across her newest blog about a "Linky Party" where she has linked up with Mrs. Lemons from http://stepintosecondgrade.blogspot.com/ where you "Link Up" and tell all about the quirky little things that make you, you.  So I thought, now this could be fun and I joined in on the action.  So here goes.

1) I speak redneck.  By this I mean anything ending in "ing" is cut to "in", "you" often becomes "ya", instead of "get" I say "git", I condense several words into one, where "what are you" becomes "whatcha" and so on. I find this very irritating, and sometimes embarrassing  but I can't help it when I get talking too fast.



2)I love peanut butter.  I can put it on almost anything including hot dogs, bologna sandwiches, and cheese.

3) I am very girly, but my mom is not, so growing up I was taught how to ride a dirt bike, fish, camp in a tent, pee in the woods, change the oil in my car, shoot a gun, built forts, catch snakes and frogs, and go "night crawling"(hunting for worms at night).

4) As a kid, I was the fat friend.

An 8 yr old version of myself.

5) I used to have a really bad lisp which I have for the most part corrected over time, but you will never hear me say the title to the movie "The Sixth Sense"....I just can't do it.

6) I am obsessed with my giant, butt sniffing, drool flinging, constantly shedding, Newfoundland dog.  My husband swears I love that dog more than him.  I'm going to say its a tough call...lol.

Me playing with my puppy

7)I own my own cupcake business http://www.nicoleshouseofcupcakes.com/, but I have made so many cupcakes and cake pops now that the thought of actually eating them makes me gag....although they are very tasty!!!

Some of my creations. 

8) I am one of those parents that think they have the cutest kids in the entire world....only I secretly think its because my kids really are the cutest kids in the entire world!

9) I pledged a sorority in college where I had to do so many other people's dishes by hand that it cured me of my "dishwater" phobia.  I used to not even be able to put a dish in the sink for fear it would get wet and then have "dishwater" on it.

10) I have a love affair with my Kindle and I love, love, love, to read cheesy romance novels...even better if they have vampires, trolls, werewolves, zombies, angels, or any other supernatural main characters.  May I recommend "The Hollows" #1 and #2, the "Blood Like Poison" trilogy, the "My Blood Approves" trilogy, the "Trylle Trilogy", the "Tale of Lunamorte" trilogy, and of course the ever so popular "Twighlight Trilogy" and "Hunger Games Trilogy".

11) I have a gazillion cable channels but only watch HBO because I can't stand commercials.  With the exception of watching "The Walking Dead" on AMC.



12) My kids don't know the real ending to "Hush Little Baby"....I never had the heart to tell them "...down will come baby cradle and all."  So I say "...Mommy will catch you cradle and all."

13) I have a little bit of OCD when it comes to washing my hair, for some reason I absolutley CANNOT rinse it unless ALL the soap or conditioner has firsted been rinsed off of my hands....even though I'm just going to get them all soapy again when I touch my head.

Well I guess thats pretty much my quirks in a nutshell...I'm sure there are more, but I those alone are enough for you to think I'm crazy.  So now its your turn...go to http://stepintosecondgrade.blogspot.com/, and check out what this "Linky Party" is all about.



A Dedicaton to Those Gone too Soon

When you're a child, it often seems as though your entire life is a blank slate filled with unimaginable promise.  You daydream, you are inspired, you plan out your entire existence, and then change your mind and plan it out again.  You are young, untouchable, infallible.  In no ones plan do they play the part of, the "one", the "statistic", the "life cut too short".  Then it happens, that one incident a little too close to home where your ignorance is lost and you are now in a world where you are no longer immortal.

 I spent the last few days looking through some old photos.  You know, the ones where you are hugging your friends, laughing with care-free abandon,  the world is still your oyster, life is blissful.  And while flipping through I saw the faces of those that will be forever young in my mind, the faces of good friends, the faces that were my "reality check".  They paid the price, so I could learn the lesson.  Not a very good trade off if you ask me. 

So here I am, reminding all of you that there are no guarantees in life.  Do not take it for granted.  A life wasted is a slap in the face to those that lost theirs before they really started living it.  Love with everything you have and remind those closest to you everyday just how much you love them.  Take chances IN life, but not WITH your life.  Forgive, forget, move one...grudges take too much energy.  Never be too proud, or too scared to call your parents if your in a bad situation...no matter how old you are.  Don't accept anything less then what you deserve, life is too short to settle for less.  And always, always, appreciate the life you have because if fate had fallen differently, it could have been you.

Rest In Peace

Forever in our hearts.

4th of July Fun

As I think back on my childhood, I have a lot of good memories of special outings I went on with my parents.  Disney World, the Great Escape, camping, fishing, the beach, and the list goes on and on.  It truly was an "Ignorance is Bliss" experience.  I never knew the stress that came behind the scenes.

My husband and I decided to take the kids to Lake George for the 4th of July.  We spent the first hour there mini golfing at the Pirates Cove.  Luke and Jaid both made a "hole in one" and were super excited!  Although after the first swing they both seemed to go into "hockey" mode and pushed their ball into the hole with the club rather than putting it.  Then they would jump up and down, give us all a high five, and ask if there was a "next hole". ("Worth it" moment #1) Jerry even seemed to be enjoying himself and announced after the 5th hole that he would no longer be keeping score because he was kicking all of our butts.  Which was completely true, I am terrible at Mini Golf and even the kids were beating me on most of the holes.

After golf we went for ice cream where both of the kids had to get theirs in a cone even though they don't eat the cone and always end up asking for a spoon. (Which of course was true in this case as well)  At this point Jerry was starting to get antsy because the kids were getting restless and it drives him absolutely CRAZY not having them seated and well behaved.  So lets just say that he is crazy all the time..lol!  Then 2 ice cream stained,chocolate smeared cheeked children later, we were off to our next adventure. Which was the Haunted Wax Museum.  Jaid was very excited for this and put on her brave front, even asking to be lifted up if there was an exhibit she couldn't get a good look at.  While poor Luke whined and held on to Jerry for dear life through out the entire place.  At one point Jerry even thought Luke had peed himself!  Luckily he hadn't.  But all Jaid talked about for the rest of the night was how she wanted to go back through, and could we do it again next time. ("Worth it" moment #2)

By this time is was getting later and we wanted to get a good spot for the fire works, so we made our way back to the beach.  We had parked our car in one of those $10 for the day spots and Jerry walked back to get our chairs and blanket.  Several cart wheels, hand stands, bug searches, and photo shoots later he finally  returned.  It probably only took him about 20 minutes but anyone who's had to entertain a 4 and 5 year old, with nothing other than a camera, knows that can feel like a lifetime.  So now we are set!  The only problem is, it's 8:30 and the fire works don't start until 9:30.  I will fast forward what happens until then... whining, "I Spy", crying, catching bugs, Jerry is CRAZY, Jaid steps in dog poop, glow necklace ring toss, more whining, playing puppies, wrestling, screaming, Jerry is SUPER CRAZY, eating brownies, eww there's a bug on me!, "Simon Says", now the kids are fighting , mommy is mean, Jerry is going to BLOW!!!, oh look the fire works are starting. Phew!  Now I have never seen my children sit so still for such an extended period of time, they did not move an inch for the entire show, except to clap their little hands with delight. ("Worth it" moment #3)

After it was all over we packed up our things and made the trek back to our car.  Packing in the kids we start to notice that everyone is literally pulling from their spot and going for the exit.  Of course in a parking lot with 1 exit and about 300 cars, this is not working and the gridlocked mess that is happening is just insane.  So after sitting in one spot for about 30 minutes we decide to look for a different way out. We followed a car that has pulled down a section of fence.  Yup, we were "those people", but so was everyone else once they saw what was going on and now traffic was gridlocked in 2 places but luckily we were out!  So we think we caught a break.  Oh we are so silly.  Lets just say after an hour and a half of Jerry cursing, complaining, blaming me for wanting to come, swearing we would never do this again, and then some more cursing because he ran out of chew....we were finally on the high way headed home.  Did I mention I had to pee since before we got in the car?

But as I put it to him, we have to make memories for the kids.  The end of the day was really crappy but up until then it was really nice, the kids had a great time.  Through all the standstill traffic, and "venting" as I'll call it, the kids were blissfully sleeping in the back seat, completely unaware anything was amiss.  Which I am positive was the case when I was a kid, when we were all kids.  Just because it's easier to stay home and do nothing doesn't mean that that is the way to go.  So in the end I think the headache of it all was worth it. And when my kids are grown with families of their own, they too will know what goes on behind the scenes of all their treasured childhood memories.