If you don't like my attitude, quit talking to me.

Hello and Goodbye!

2008-11-28T05:57:00.003-05:00

I just wanted to write a very short note to let everyone that I have left Blog World. (if you haven't noticed that already, hahaha) I once enjoyed writing and catching up on everyone's blog, but since I've been working full-time, I haven't had the time. Sadly, the time for creative writing had come to a close. It was a fun outlet for me.

I'm officially on facebook now and am finding that much easier to stay in contact with other people. If you have an account on facebook, I'd love to add you as a friend and catch up with you there.

It's been fun! Hope to hear from you soon.

The name on facebook: Anony Amos

(Anon wasn't accepted as a name, I tried!)

List Inspired by Cool Sis

2008-02-07T23:03:00.000-05:00

Anon's Christmas List

$1000 Shopping Spree
Tummy Tuck
Liposuction
Laser Surgery for Sun Spots
Breast Lift

Is that too much information?

hahahahaha :)

(Sorry, Cool Sis! I just felt SO INSPIRED after reading your blog that I just had to get that off of my chest.)

which reminds me....I guess I need to add one more thing to that list:

A Wax Job for the Chest Hair

Ouch! I have a feeling that one's gonna hurt!

:)

Howdy Partner!

2008-01-27T22:30:00.001-05:00

I don't know if it's writing that I like or just trying to take different pics. Either way, my professional photographer and I are having fun! :) I've missed you all. The full-time working mom role is kicking my butt right now. I started this entire blog process was when I actually had time to think creatively with my writing. But, did I happen to mention the time factor? Yeah, gotta have some time to keep up the pressure of writing with my contemporaries, Cool Sis and of course, Mr. Huffeldink himself. I may just have to resolve to giving you updates on my life which can be summed up in a few words: work, cook, listen to music and drink beer. ;)

So, I'm giving you all a heads up for my next post because I want you to brace yourself for the greatest revealing of a "twin" that will make you gasp. That's right, the ole' saying goes that everyone has a twin and I found one that you will not believe. Ooh-who-who!!! I can't wait to show you all! Get your twin stories ready, Peeps!

As for my twin, I haven't bumped into her yet, but when I do it's because she's thin, brunette and sexy! :) :) :)

Y'all come back now, y'hear?
(That's as close as I get to country, all you Chesney fans out there!)

Merry Christmas?

2007-10-31T22:50:00.000-04:00

Fall is one of my favorite times of the years. The season changing colors and listening to the crunch of the leaves as you step outside brings a sense of rejuvenation. This year, fall has become a time of reprieve which I have come to appreciate more than ever. Football and tennis are over now, but this is just the calm before the big storm that hits in December.

I couldn't help but share one cute moment over fall break that still makes me chuckle every time I think of what happened. We have a tradition in our family, as I'm sure many of you do also, of carving pumpkins. The kids really look forward to this and a couple of them were especially excited about the fact that they got to "use the knife themselves".

Now, what has turned out to be an almost "ceremony-like" manner, we light the pumpkins after everyone's satisfied with their jack-o-lantern. We have a front window that directly looks over our front porch/entry way. The kids have a special spot they put them at and then, they proceed to go inside to the window to watch Mom light the jack-o-lanterns. With great anticipation in the air, I struck a flame and lit the wicks. I began hearing a tune from inside the house, "Silent Night, Holy Night..." My oldest daughter began the melody and the others joined in except for one. All of a sudden, my middle daughter is getting a little rattled and you hear her burst out, "Hey, that's not a Halloween song, that's Christmas. Does it look like there's a star in the sky?" Whew, I'm glad they got that one cleared up. :)
If you knew my middle daughter, you can understand why this is so funny. She kind of has a little attitude when she gets frustrated.

Well, that's exciting as my post gets tonight. I'm just glad I actually have a moment to spend in Blog World right now. The costumes are in a pile, trick-or-treat is finished and the freshly roasted pumpkin seeds were delicious. I hope you had a "Merry Christmas?" too!

:)

Where's the Beef?

2007-09-16T21:27:00.000-04:00

The line from one of my favorite commercials when I was a teenager. I absolutely LOVE great commercials, especially the ones that make you laugh out loud. Whoops, I've forgotten how to type in Blog World. Excuuuuse me, I meant LOL. :) I barely have time to catch the news on TV anymore, but as I was cleaning up the kitchen tonight, I began to hear a familiar tune by REO Speedwagon. So, I looked across the way to see what was going to happen. In the advertisement, there are white collared business men working on their lab tops in what appears to be an "office looking" room. The melody of the song takes the men "back in time". Turns out that these guys are working on a high speed Internet connection in, of course, a Holiday Inn. Maybe I'm totally out of the loop since this is the first time I've been able to concentrate on any televised programming since the school year started, but it's hilarious! For those of you with DVR, you'll have to look for this one.

Commercials? Maybe you can think of a few that strike you off the bat because I like strolling down memory lane too. From McDonald's jingle to Aflac, sometimes, I'd rather watch the commercials than the programming.

On the other hand, there's always the annoying commercials like guys sitting around, strumming guitars and singing "Viva Viagra". GIVE ME A BREAK! Yeah, I'm sure studios in Nashville are lined with musicians trying to pluck a new tune to sing about Viagra.

I miss y'all!

Attempting Magic

2007-07-06T11:19:00.000-04:00

Two long years have passed for me and my family. With some encouragement from my friends and the hope that some of you may be inspired to do a "family project" as well, I decided to share this moment with you. My girls and I have been growing our hair for two years now to donate to a nonprofit organization called Locks of Love. (Most of you are familiar with this organization. Wigs for Kids is another reputable organization that makes hairpieces for disadvantaged children.) This decision came at a time where God was specifically talking to me about giving. My husband and I think that giving serves as a role of great importance in our faith. With our high paying jobs (harharhar) and four children, God has challenged us to be creative in our giving and we find that God has provided for us to give to the needy.

I had been struggling with the entire "giving" issue and feeling that God was prompting me to give beyond what we were currently doing, but I couldn't put my finger on it. I was sitting in a service on June 26, 2005 and my pastor was preaching on the story of the boy that shared his lunch with the crowd. He said two things that day which haven't left me. #1: God is interested in others' predicaments, so should you. #2 God has given you something that is not for you. Ironically, I was twiddling my hair at the time and God spoke 'I've given you hair and three girls. You need to share what I've given you.' I wasn't totally convinced. (Not that I was stuck on my hair per se, but I've had long hair in the past and wasn't exactly thrilled about caring for long hair again. Besides, I always need time to think about these kinds of things.)

The next day, I was running errands, flipping through radio stations and WBCL was doing a program on Wigs for Kids. I came across this program midway through the interview and when I hit the button, I heard something to the matter of "your hair can be turned into a wig for cancer patients". (Yes, I finished listening to the program.)

About a week or two later, my oldest daughter was thumbing through the newspaper and an article caught her attention. She brought the paper to me to show me what she had found. I wasn't surprised when I saw the article. A girl in our town had grown her hair out for the second time in her life to give to Locks of Love. My daughter looked at me and said, "That would be fun to do Mom!" So, I agreed and here we are.

I can't say that I've had a good attitude about this the entire time. The starting process was fun. However, the more length you have, the more of a process it becomes. As the hair has grown, so has the time to get ready in the morning. At times, I felt like I was losing my Christianity trying to care for it, but God has been patient with me and taught me more than I would have ever imagined from hair.

You all know that belly dancing really is more my style. But, today for the first time, I will attempt magic.

Now, you see it.

Now, you don't.

Poof! The first disappearance act I've ever done.

A ilingualist-bay, a belly-dancer, a party stalker, a composer and now a magician.

What's next people? The possibilities are just endless here in Blog City.

P.S. Like my cut? Cool Sis got to play Barbie yesterday afternoon with my hair. I did the girls. Hey, how about that? I'm a hair stylist too!!!!! :)

Gee, Can I Play Too?

2007-06-27T00:59:00.000-04:00

It took me awhile to realize what game I was playing, but now I know. Yes, I've been tagged. (A great big thanks goes out to my Cool Sis for instigating this post .) For those of you who may be unaware of the concept of playing tag in blog world, the object of the game is that you must tell 8 (no more, no less) "interesting" facts about yourself.

Here I go:

Fact #1: I HATE these kind of "games" online.

While I find myself interested in reading others' factoids, the process of this concept personally drives me crazy. Typically, I don't do these things. For those of you who've emailed me questionnaire surveys before, I apologize for ignoring your mail and making the exception this time. Please forgive me. But the main reason I even have a blog to begin with is because of peer pressure, and I'm giving in, once again.

'What's the point?' is my question. Are you really going to know me because I've spilled my guts on a few meaningless facts of my life? Is it going to make our friendship closer because I've told you these things? For myself, that's why I don't get into telling these pieces of trivia. If you want to get to "know" me a little better, then let's do lunch. You might have more of an impression than reading the "facts" and letting the information go in one ear and out the other.

One more thing that goes along with this topic is those irritating "pass it on to 10 of your friends and back to the person you received it from" emails. First of all, I don't think I have 10 friends. Secondly, the guilt trip you get at the end about if you love Christ, if you're a Christian, if you want to spend eternity in heaven, blah, blah blah, then you'll send this......

Well, guess what? I'm going to hell because I never send them and more than likely anymore, I don't even read them.

Fact #2: What you see is what you get.

I don't feel bothered to express my opinion. (see fact #1) :) I don't like feeling like I'm walking on eggshells with anybody, so why should I make anyone else feel that way? If you want to know if I'm glad, mad, sad or delirious, I'll tell you. If you don't like me, don't act like you like me. That's cool with me. Let's call the shots as they are and move on. There's no sense in playing the emotional roller coaster game.

Fact #3: I use this symbol, :) , a lot when I'm writing.

Considering my personality (see fact #2) and my sense of humor which tends to lean towards irony, I use the symbol to tell the reader that I'm either chuckling as I'm writing or that I'm not being serious about what I'm writing. I tend to use this symbol more with people that don't know me. Because of my (what I've been told) "strong" personality, I can be taken the wrong way so the symbol serves as a reaffirming measurement and that I'm writing with good intention. While I may use the symbol in other ways, I would say these are the main functions for me.

Fact #4: I think anyone who has four children (single-births) in four and a half years needs their head examined.

semi :)

:) :) :) :)

Fact #5: My dream is to become the poster chic for a weight loss center.

Yeah, like I'm on the poster and the advertisement reads something like: Do you look like this? Then our center is just the place for you!

:)

I know, I can eat and I'm sexy. :)

Fact #6: My weakness......cadbury eggs. Yummo!!!!!!

*see fact #5 :)

Fact #7: I was once the MVP for our church softball league.

:)

True.

:)

It's kind of like my tennis playing......I'm like a blur on the court baby! :)

Fact #8: My favorite outdoor activity :) canoeing.

:)

Okay, I think that's a wrap since I'm at 8. I've got atleast 5 more, but I'm a believer in playing by the rules. So, I'm throwing in the towel. Plus, if I keep going, it's only going to get more ridiculous, trust me. The old creativity ball only gets faster as it goes down the hill.

I feel so much closer to you all now since I've told you this valuable information. I usually wouldn't do this, but since we're getting past the surface layer in this online relationship.....I'm giving you my cell phone number. Please call and let me know you're out there. Here's another little 411 for you, I never answer my cell phone if I don't recognize the number, so there's no pressure to go into a long conversation with me. Just leave a message and let me know you got my number. I know it's a big step, but I just feel like this is the right time. For those of you who don't have my new number, call......I think you'll like my new voice mail. :)

201-808-6011

:) :) :) :)

A Little Ditty (Scroll Down for the Rest of the Story)

2007-06-01T07:33:00.000-04:00

Forgive me as I get a little sentimental here on my blog towards the end of the school year. (I know: gag!) For some of you, school has ended. But for those of us who are still in session, (those snow days are a thorn in my side right now....didn't that happen just a couple of posts ago?) I can't help sharing my favorite childhood memory that took place on the last day of school while riding the bus home.

To most of you, there will be no excitement in this whatsoever. You'll have to keep in mind that I grew up in Hickesville, U.S.A. (which is kind of ironic because I just replanted myself in another Hickesville, U.S.A.) If I wouldn't have married my husband, I probably wouldn't have been able to write or speak English properly. Thanks to his family, I can even splel now. :)

So, here we go. Now warm up those vocal chords people, I want you singing from the top of your lungs.....

A hundred bottles of b......

Now, wait just a minute, I'm going to have to do the clean version of this song or else I'll be reprimanded by Miss Etiquette.

A hundred bottles of coke on the wall, a hundred bottles of coke, you take one down, pass it around, 99 bottles of coke on the wall......

A Little Ditty, Part 2

2007-05-31T18:10:00.000-04:00

Halfway there, keep singing!!!!!!

Deep breath now.

A Little Ditty, Part 3

2007-05-31T18:05:00.000-04:00

No more bottles of coke on the wall.

No more bottles of coke.

You can't take one down

or pass it around.

The bus driver's glad that

there's gonna be no sound.

(Brown paper bag please.) Whew! You did it! Talk about the song that never ends. :)

Now, school is/can be officially closed.

I bet you didn't know that was the ending to the song. I guess you gotta be the last one off the bus to get to that part. :) Hey, sounded good to me. I'm a composer now. I'm going to have to get the copyrights on that one.

Some day I'm going to be famous, people, for songs like that and you can look back and say, "I knew her when she was writing for 100 Bottles of Coke on the Wall."

:-)

Anon Has Been Kidnapped

2007-05-20T23:29:00.000-04:00

Help! When someone finds Anon, return her back to her normal routine please. I feel like I've been trying and trying to post on my blog, but everything else seems to be demanding my time. I have had at least two new sets of pics to put on my blog, but you're only going to see one set for now.

Yes, my Cool Sis was kind enough to pose for our little excursion. We are fortunate enough to have wonderful husbands who let us sneak out for a weekend of rock-n-roll at Agape Fest. This year we headed up especially for our favorite of this year's festival, Skillet. What an awesome band! We waited in a 2 hour line to get a photo with them which I didn't post because you'd get a full shot, of course. But, let me tell you, it was a very cool moment for both of us. We are official panheads and happen to be the only adults at the festival who weren't chaperones or youth pastors.

Naturally, you have to sit through a lot of crappy music to wait for the right stuff. But hey, we do that listening to the radio all the time to, so what's the dif? (I'm so 80's) :) :) :)

Ironically, the festival falls previous to one of the most hectic months of the year, May. I wish we all could cram one more activity in this month. I think I'd rather be doing December. Cool Sis and I had a relaxing weekend and as soon as I hit the door at home, I haven't stopped since.

I wasn't kidding. My life has kidnapped me. Will I ever return? Yeah, I know.....some of you hope I'm not. :) :) :)

P.S. The best part about our trip, I still have skin peeling on my legs from my sunburn as a reminder of our weekend out. Cool Sis and I were so excited that rain wasn't in the forecast like the previous year, that we didn't bring any sunscreen. Oh yeah, burn baby burn. Cool Sis looked like a lobster and I wasn't that far off. I felt so bad for her, I finally bummed some sunscreen off of a nice lady who was next to us. Later on in the afternoon, Cool Sis remembered she had umbrellas in the car which we got to block the sun. (how convenient) However, not soon enough to stop the gorgeous farmer tan of mine where I wore my longer set of capris. Let me tell you that I'm looking pretty sexy in my regular capris where you can see exactly how long my capris are that I wore that day.

P.S.S. You can see Skillet this weekend like we are. This time, we're taking some kids with us. We like to start the rock star concept at a young age in our family. It's only a 3 hour drive from here. Family Bonding Time........yeehaw!!!!!!

It's "Snow" Wonder I'm Happy

2007-02-15T00:00:00.000-05:00

I love snow!!!!! I was feeling somewhat depressed with the lack of cold weather and snow in my part of the world. The small dusting of snow on Christmas Day did nothing for me. When some snow turned up a few weeks ago, I was overjoyed. My kids looked out the window and said, "Finally." Then, they put on their snow gear and out they went. But this week, I couldn't be happier. Snow everywhere and an excuse to wear my favorite "git-up". Sipping hot chocolate, watching my kids make snow angels, cooking new recipes, getting caught up on some miscellaneous chores, family bonding time and making ice cream out of snow; life is sweet.

Since I love snow so much, here's the ever-so-multifunctioning, versatile word, snow.

(Why? Because this is what people with my level of intellect do in their spare time when they're bored.)

1. Hey, don't I "snow" you from somewhere?

2. Guess what? I can dribble a basketball while balancing a book on my head at the same time. "Snow" way. :)

3. A favorite song of mine: Getting to "Snow " You

4. Snow happens.

5. I had some Quaker "Snow"ts for breakfast.

6. Classic Movie Line: "Snow me the money!"

7. Great Name for a Girl: "Snow"phia

8. All in favor, say I. All oppose, say...."snow"?

9. (One step for the process of solving an exponential equation is to take the logs of both sides and then divide.) "Snow" what.

10. Sheryl "Snow".....didn't she write a song called Soak Up the Sun?

11. There's "Snow" business like show business.

12. A phrase often heard from people who care for young children, "Quit picking your 'snows'!"

Wasn't that enlightening? :) You all try not to catch a bad case of cabin fever out there. Before I go, I just can't pass up the opportunity. Give me five, up high, down low, you're too.......SNOW! hahahahahahahahaha

That was "snow" funny. Get it? :)

Anon Fan Club

2007-01-24T23:41:00.000-05:00

What could be more exciting than to have my very own fan club? Yes, I was delighted to entertain some unexpected company last weekend, especially since they happen to be the offspring of my ex-boyfriend. :) I just want you all to know, people, that I'm a bigger person than most ex-girlfriends would be. I took no vengeance on these precious little ones. I treated them like I treat my own. (They actually thought the "tar-n-feather" thing was kind of fun.) :)

How do I know these little tikes are part of my fan club? As soon as Miss E arrived at my house, she told me that she's seen my blog before and that she likes it. "It has faces with just the eyes showing. It cracks me up!", she said. Of course, her brother looked over and smiled as if he were agreeing with her, so I officially put them on the "Anon's Fan Club" list.

Now, I will let you know that it's been a little while since I've had a preschooler of the male gender in my household. I had proudly announced to my Life Long Friend that taking care of the kids would be no problem because my house was kid-proof. Little did I know that my house wasn't Z***-proof, things that I thought I had forgotten quickly returned to me while taking care of "The Monkey". (You'll understand why Mr. Z has inherited that nickname further down this post.) My son is and has always been a very strong boy from the moment he arrived in the world. I constantly joke that Samson must have had my son's body type when he was a child. Some boys are just naturally stronger and Mr. Z is one of those kind of kids. Every move he tried, I was able to maneuver because my son tried the same wrestling moves with me when he was that age. However, I didn't anticipate the climbing this kid can do. I've never had a climber in my household and let me tell you, the boy was everywhere and then some.

So, I've come up with some interesting observations for you.

"Things" I Forgot About Rearing a Three Year Old Boy:
1. Messy Pants (yuck) and snotty noses
2. Blocks are not made for building; blocks are made for dumping.
3. If you leave the door unlocked during a bathroom break, you will have a visitor.
4. Eating the marshmallows out of the Lucky Charm cereal deems a necessity to ask for more, even though the "cereal" hasn't been touched.
5. If you want to take a shower, you should do that BEFORE the preschooler arrives.
6. Messy Pants (No, I'm not repeating myself. The kid had no mercy.)
7. Boys have more equipment to clean around than girls when it comes to this business of messy pants.
8. Lights can have a cool, strobe-light effect if you turn the switch on and off as fast as you can.
9. If you decide to take a shower while a preschooler is coherent, plus forget to lock the bathroom door, you will have a Peeping Tom.
10. Patience is not an attribute a preschooler understands. If he wants a game on the top of a book shelf and you tell him to wait just a second while you help his sister with something, he will proceed to think the shelf is actually a ladder. Whoops....he almost made it to the top which is scary if you knew how unsteady the shelf is. Let's just say, it's definitely not meant for climbing.
11. Toys are a bunch of fun if you bang them, throw them or make crashing noises with them.
12. If there is a birthday present on a high shelf of a china cabinet for a party the following day, it will be unwrapped before the party. Yep, you guessed it, The Monkey is not scared of heights.
13. Announcing that "it's time to get in the van" means I put the coat on, I tie the shoe laces, I put him in the car seat and I fasten the seat belt. (the emphasis is on the "I")
14. Putting a coat on is a phrase for the sport we all know as "wrestling".
15. When trying to make cupcakes for a birthday party, you will have a taste tester sitting on your counter and looking at you with these pathetic little eyes.
16. Bar stools are great fun to kick down while the sitter is making cupcakes.
17. The keyboard of a piano makes a really cool sound when you roller skate on it. (Yes, that would be one leg planted on the bench while he balances himself like a dog does a fire hydrant and runs his free leg with the roller skate attached to his foot down the keyboard several times. That is, until the sitter stopped him.)
18. Washing hands in the bathroom with cool foaming soap is an opportunity to develop those bubble-making tendencies.
19. Taking turns with brushing teeth (I brush first, then he gets his turn) may inspire him to give dirty looks and be disgusted with you.
20. Selective hearing is a talent.

What I Love About Taking Care of a Three Year Old Boy:
1. Boy noises, it's a nice change of pace from all the cutesy, girley chat.
2. Peek-a-boo is still a fun game.
3. Mr. Monkey roller skating across my kitchen floor, tumbling head over heels, then getting up and saying, "It's okay, Z***y fine." Then going right back at it.
4. Taking a shower and someone opening the curtain to say "Kurprise!"
5. Turning up the volume dial while you play a little Skillet during breakfast and you notice he's swaying his body to the music and smiling while his sister is saying, "Could you turn that down a little?"
6. Preschool boys don't mind playing with Barbies if their sister asks them to.
7. Hearing "Come Here" so he can show you his bubble creation and watching how his face lights up when you act like it's the best thing you've seen since flushable wipes.
8. Looking back in the rear-view mirror and getting a great big grin. The deja vu part is that he resembles my ex-boyfriend, so it's one of those moments where you stop and think to yourself about the whole circle of life concept. Crazy. I can't believe we all have kids now.
9. Playing hard and wrestling causes laughter instead of whining that my girls tend to do.
10. Cupcakes that are made in an ice cream cone and look like an ice cream cone should be eaten like an ice cream cone. Have you ever seen someone eat cake by licking every drop of it?

The best part about taking care of a 3-year old boy that is not yours........(drum roll please)...sending him home with his aunt! The day was full of adventure, but the little guy tuckered me out. I'm a little out of shape.

"Stuff" I Learned From a Kindergartner:
1. The phrase that states something about "talking your head off" is not true. She tried and it never worked.
2. Not all kindergartners know the lyrics to "Comotose", "Have a Nice Day" or "I Want Your ...." (hahaha, just kidding BJ Buddy, I don't have that album anymore.....scared ya, didn't I?)
3. Some kindergartners need you to flush the toilet for them because they're scared of the sound.
4. Surprisingly, this kindergartner likes grapefruit. We split one, but I had my doubts. She ate the entire portion.
5. Making grapefruit juice from the fruit itself is a wonder. "My mom doesn't make juice like that."
6. If you have a child with the gift of communication, you should caution them about the information that they share with others. When I asked her what her brother eats, she answered, "Sausage, bologna and hot dogs.....that's all Mommy feeds him." hahaha, I think his aunt got him some popcorn at the ball game the next day, so at least he's getting a little vegetable in his diet.
7. Having a kindergartner that doesn't have an older sister who's in the "tween" stage means that when the stereo in your minivan is playing "High School Musical", she going to ask, "What song is this?" (Although she recognized "Together" from a commercial, she didn't know the dance. That's a crime in my house. The girls and I all do that every time the song plays, it's a simply a given.)
8. Watching a movie means to let her know when the next song is coming on.
9. Kindergartners are sharp as a tack. When it comes to licking the beaters, that girl knows how to get her brother preoccupied, so she can enjoy the batter to herself. (That's my kind of girl.)
10. This kindergartner is a great organizer of time. She'd pick a game for us to play and as I'd set up the game, she would let me know the next game I'd get to play with her.
11. It possible to learn how to play a new video game when your older brother isn't present. I had to give her lots of encouragement, but she had a good handle on Chicken Little before the afternoon was over.
12. Purses, like the one she has, are expensive.......she "got her purse at Walmart".
13. God uses the heart of a child to remind you of what's important. Several times that day, Miss E reminded me to pray for her Uncle Josh. "He was in a diving accident and almost died. We need to pray for him. God will help him. I love my Uncle Josh."

Thank God for the faith of a child.

Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord our God will be with you wherever you go."

.....and so it is. The God of Abraham and Moses is with us. As Miss E reminded me, let me remind you that our brother needs our prayers and our help. www.greenhouseministries.org

I'm glad to have been a help in this small way last weekend. What a wonderful privilege to take care of the two newest members of my Fan Club.

**If you would like to become a member of Anon Fan Club, please send a photo revealing your eyes only, of course, and $10 to my address.

Challenge for the New Year

2007-01-02T23:19:00.000-05:00

What bugs the snot out of me? New Year's Resolutions. Why? Because I tend to be a perfectionist and resolutions feel like something written in stone which stresses me out. So, in high school, I quit with the entire resolution thing. Good or bad idea? You tell me, I don't know.

At the beginning of each new year, I look back on the events in my life, what went well, mistakes along the way (like starting a blog, hehehehe) and some "goals" I'd like to achieve. (See, goals aren't as stressful as resolutions.) :) But, I'm going a different route and challenging myself to read the Bible in a year, beginning to end, with that fun little calendar in the back. My other cool sister-in-law (Yes, I'm blessed with the two coolest sister-in-laws in the entire world. They are both very dear friends to me and I thank God they're in my life.) inspired me to do this by accomplishing this task herself in the year 2006. Ashamed to call myself a disciple of Christ, I have never read the Bible cover to cover. I've studied most of the contents, but have mainly kept familiar with the New Testament and favorites of the Old Testament. (like Song of Songs, of course, hehehehe) My husband is going to kill me for that comment........okay, maybe not. :) :) :) :)

Since the influence of another has put this challenge in my life, I hope my personal goal may start a fire, if not this year maybe in the future, for some of you out there. I'm looking forward to reading the Word cover to cover and what God has in store for 2007.

Cheers to the New Year!

Anon Gone Wild

2006-12-30T23:36:00.000-05:00

I've done something I didn't think I'd ever do before. Ashamed of my curiosity and weakness getting the better of me, I crashed in on a blogging party. Of course, I didn't show up uninvited. This was a virtual reality type of birthday party hosted by none other than Funny Lady herself. I wasn't able to arrive on time and in fact, I got a little lost on the way. I drove around what seemed to be a circle a few times, I even drove past a gas station. I thought about stopping there and inquiring about the whereabouts of the road. However, with my attire, I was afraid I might be featured on the 11:00 news for a blogging version of Practical Jokes Gone Wrong. ( see pics below) Needless to say, I found my destination, kept my identity secure and had a great time. Some of my favorite snacks were there, like lemon bars! Yum!!!! (Yeah, that's just what I need after the holidays. Hey, what's New Years if you don't have a resolution to lose at least 10 pounds? I'm just thinking ahead of the game, folks. hehehehe) We played some fun games and naturally, did some blogging. The best part: No one got mugged by unwanted visitors. Yippee!!!!!

A big thanks to the birthday gal for being a generous hostess.

It's scary, isn't it? Anon is going against her own principles, getting sentimental and collecting friends on this little cyperspace adventure. Kind of makes you want to throw up, doesn't it? :)

You all keep me in your prayers, 'kay? :) :) :)

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2006-12-27T23:21:00.000-05:00

This post is dedicated to a college suitemate of mine who willingly admits to reading my blog in her Christmas card, but refuses to acknowledge me in public. So, to the person who taught me everything I know about bargain shopping, this one's for you. :)

Aaaaahhhhhhh!
What could be better than Christmas itself, but the day after Christmas shopping and B&B Works semi-annual sale? There is nothing like the feeling of finding better deals than Black Friday has to offer. Every year after a long string of family Christmas celebrations, including a late "Christmas Day Night" family get together, this chic rolls out of bed at 5:45 A.M., stops at Starbucks to get her favorite beverage, and hits the stores of her choice. Although I abhor conversation in the morning, I practically scare the Starbuck's server before giving me my drink as I excitedly clap my hands together and announce that I am going shopping. (Like he really cares, but since he still was in a good Christmas spirit, he acted like he did.) :)

In the process, there is complete joy in the anticipation of what I'm going to find and for whom I will be able to cross off my "list of gifts" that I need to purchase throughout the year. Not to mention, the satisfaction of knowing those persons will be getting a lot nicer present than I would typically be able afford solely because I'm taking the time to bargain hunt.

The key to being successful at after Christmas shopping is to be selective in your purchases. Even though 50% off seems like a great deal, tis not always the case and one learns that certain items will still be there when the store goes to 75% off, 90% if you're around a Target, you lucky ducks! There are a couple of standards that I keep myself to and for those of you who have some suggestions that you've kept as a "rule" for yourself, please share!!!! The first one is to keep on open mindset. When I began this venture in my life, I would worry more about "crossing off my list" than finding the right gift. This one standard has turned what used to be a "stressor" into now, a wonderful "surprise factor". I have fun in looking and sorting through lots average stuff to locate the one item that reminds me of a relative or friend in my life. My mental point of view is if I bump into something, great. If I don't, then I'm not going to buy just for the sake of getting a discount. The second rule of thumb is to never pass up something that you're going to regret later. If I'm debating about an item and waiting until the additional discount, I play hypothetical and ask myself, would I buy this if the store didn't offer a bigger percentage? That question confirms my decision for me every time.

Why do all this? The obvious answer, budget. However, this kind of shopping is fun. For those of you who are avid yard salers and "authentic" coupon shoppers, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. There is the "real world" of shopping and then there is the "coupon/bargain world" of shopping. (Reminds one of real world and blog world, doesn't it?) Well, I can only tell you that this kind of habit saves my family thousands each year. Not to mention, I always adjust my "show schedule" for the year by the number of items that are left to purchase on my gift list. Did I happen to mention that I also picked a few exotic, new scarves? :) You'll have to be sure to catch a performance. I won't be out and about so much this year, I had a very profitable experience.

Yes, it is the most wonderful time of the year. It can be for you too: it's time to get out of the real world and into the coupon/bargain world!

P.S. Yes, Anon switched to Beta.

Your Vote Counts

2006-12-08T21:59:00.000-05:00

While this post will lack originality, I couldn't help myself getting caught up in hottest topic of blog world, Christmas pics. "What should I do? Which pose is best? Are my eyes too squinty? Please cast your vote." Man, I thought the November elections were bad. :) So I'm giving a big round of applause for the inspiration of Miss Etiquette, the debate about creating a "singles" pic from my life-long friend and the boldness of my ex-boyfriend's wife for plagiarism. I figured if she could get away with it, so could I. ;)

Cast Your Vote Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For Wolverines Only

2006-11-16T07:51:00.000-05:00

CAN'T WAIT TIL OSU KICKS YOUR TAIL THIS SATURDAY.!

Did I hear car keys? Wait a minute, that's basketball...... :)

GO BUCKEYES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*Update from the official Buckeye newsreporter (aka, my mother) Streets have already been blocked off because of the number of tailgaters already. No hotel vacancy in any surrounding area. Evening news reported that tickets were being sold for $5,000.

If you're not a Buckeye or Wolverine, you won't understand this post.

Cheap Entertainment

2006-11-09T23:04:00.000-05:00

No, not my belly dancing. Fun on the U Tube with a band that's bringing back a unique sound to the the world of rock-n-roll. OK Go reminds me of the Beatles with a little more edge. Their sound is unbelievable. However, you'll need to check out the lyrics before making a purchase. I'd suggest just downloading your favorites.

Folks, this is too much for me. Three new posts in one night. The madness has got to stop. :) Enjoy!!!!!!

"Here It Goes Again" by OK Go

Buy OK Go - Oh No at iTunes.

"A Million Ways" by OK Go

Buy OK Go - Oh No at iTunes.

Snack Attack, Part Deux

2006-11-09T22:53:00.000-05:00

Can I just say? Blogging idiots think blogging genuises are way cool. I've gone from being totally miffed to complete happiness and I owe it all to Mr. Etiquette himself. A big thank you to Miss Etiquette for letting me borrow him. Wow. So without furthur adieu, Snack Attack, Part Deux. Unfortunately, the sequel lacks the excitement of the original. No comments. Bummer. Hey, that's the price you pay for commenting on an idiot's blog. :)

A few years ago I was watching UnWrapped on the Food Network. At the end of one of their shows, they featured a segment on a personality test based on the type of snack you like. I have gone to the website to seek out that segment because I find the concept intriguing. Plus, I wanted to share the study thoroughly with all of you. Sorry, I searched through the archives, but came out empty handed. In a nutshell, they tested a group of people on their likes and dislikes of snacks. I recall that the study included a questionnaire, but then also, the testing process included working with their taste buds and applying different flavors somehow.

In a meager description here, the following question was rendered: If you could choose one snack to eat, (think of it being your last snack here on earth) what would it be? Here are the choices; chips, pretzels, popcorn or crackers. (What kind you ask? Your favorite of any of them. If you could pick the "best" brand or flavor of any of those, that doesn't matter. Which one would you choose knowing that you had "free choice"?)

Now, before I tell you results, it's kind of fun to do this with the circle of people you socialize with and know. I've presented this scenario to my friends and interestingly enough, the personality fits the snack.This is where I wish I could access the study because this is a brief description of the results.Chip lovers are goal oriented and determined people. Pretzel people are fun loving and considered to be the "life of the party". Your popcorn snackers make good friends and have a great sense of loyalty. The snackers of crackers are intuitive and sensitive to those around them. So, tell me, which one are you? I'd love to know. You may have two close favorites, but remember, this is your last snack and you can only choose one. :)

Did someone say, "Snack Attack"? I think it's time to grab some Rold Golds.
Yum, yum, yummy. ;-)

I AM A BLOGGING IDIOT

2006-11-09T22:16:00.000-05:00

This is what happens when you don't confer with Miss Etiquette. You lose a post you were trying to post, plus one that you had already done. Man, am I ticked right now. Why? Because Snack Attack was one of my favorite posts and it's gone forever. I've tried and tried, even called Cool Sis, but all she could offer were her condolences. So for all of you included in those 28 comments, I apologize for clicking those personality insights right down the drain.

I think I've discovered a new intrepretation of Ecc. 1:2: Meaningless, utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless and Anon is a BLOGGING IDIOT.

Yeah, something like that.

Don't Do Life Alone

2006-10-23T23:54:00.000-04:00

Life is a wonderful thing. Ecclesiastes 3 is one of my favorite passages in the Bible. In vs. 12 and 13 we're told, "I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil-this is a gift of God." Does this mean everything comes up roses? Absolutely not. But, sometimes I think it's easy to forget in our busy society to include others in our lives. We can be surrounded with people and forget to take them with us. Share your life with other people. Get together with friends. Take your kids with you. (one at a time please :), to devote some needed, individual attention) Call the grandkids and let them know how much you love and miss them. Serve meals at a local mission and take someone you love with you. Hey, maybe you could even blog with a few new people. :) There are so many possibilities! Above all spend time in the Word and nurture your marriage. Life is fun, a gift from God. Enjoy every minute and be thankful.

I thought you might like to see a few pics. Miss Etiquette's helped me learn how to post these babies, so I thought I'd share the fam. (My husband refuses to let me publish his mug shot on the blog, atleast for now, hehehehe.) Now, I just need someone who can inform me how to make these appear better on the page. ?????? So, I'm not a web designer. :)

Here are some fun, wonderful parts of my life: my son's football games, a rock concert (the girl on the right of me is not mine, you fellow chorale people may recognize her, Prof's youngest (aka Dr. G**), she and my daughter are best buds) - They wanted to see Superchic[k] and since that band was touring with one of my personal favorites, Sanctus Real. I made the sacrifice and said, "Sure, Mommy will take you.") :-) , a trip to the Pumpkin Patch and reading books with my youngest.

Screw the Celebrity Thing

2006-10-08T21:25:00.000-04:00

I tried to get my celebrity look alike and the site didn't have any options for me. So, I just did my own. What do you think? Pretty close resemblance....... if I do say so myself. :)

Grrrrhhhhhhh.

Stand Up and Cheer

2006-10-06T13:23:00.000-04:00

My petpeeve: poorly written music (I'm not referring to genre here. I don't care what style you write.....whatever it is, just write it well, please.)

Guess what? There's a ton of it out there. (including the obssession of P&W writing, people should be arrested for some of the lack of depth they put into that kind of writing, 80% makes me want to hurl) My occupation kind of forces me to keep up in the music world. I feel that I'm better at my profession if I stay current. I listen to music continually. This past month, I've had more than my personal liking of music listening because I'm arranging my own programs, again. I told myself that I wasn't going to do that anymore. (time consuming) I purchased some ready-to-go programs and ended up chucking them. I get so sick of the uncreative junk out there. So, I'm spending my time editing and arranging my own programs because I couldn't give into the crap.

Why am I saying all of this? Because there's hope people. I'm putting my personal compliments on these two albums. Mark Schultz: Broken and Beautiful, Skillet: Comotose

Schultz is so lyrically sound. His story telling is simply wonderful and unpredictable.
With the amount of music I listen to, it takes "something" to touch me. Mark is the one artist that I have cried on every one of his albums. I don't even care for his voice that much. (If you've ever been to one of his concerts, you'll know what I'm talking about. Vocalists kind of cringe to watch.) But, his writing is something to applaud and he understands how to write real love songs. Wow, good stuff. For all you country fans out there, his "She Was Watching" will make you a Mark Schultz fan yet. I was a mess by the end of listening to his album even with the little country ballad feel towards the end of his album.

For all of you rock fans out there: DO NOT DELAY ANY LONGER. Go and get your copy of Comotose. You put it in your stereo and you want to stand up and cheer. Talk about inspiration. The instrumentation is unbelievable and lyrics are well written. This group is incredible. They hit the stage and you can just sense that you're in for a treat. The best keeps getting better. Their album will not disappoint you.

How can one tell your standing and cheering for the sake of music? You're in your mid-thirties, driving a minivan, windows down, music blasting, throwing up your rock fist and it's cold outside. (That's kind of a scary visual, isn't it?) :) Some of you will understand what I'm talking about. The rest of you will think I'm a freak. Maybe I should change my name from Anon to Freakizoid.

Wow, I think my body has almost reached room temperature again. That was a chilly ride home.

Collisions Happen

2006-09-29T22:41:00.000-04:00

So, you are going to be able to tell that I'm a new blogger after reading this post. Yes, for the first time, Anon was a tad out of her comfort zone when the "Real World" collided with "Blog World". Yep, you veteran bloggers are shaking your heads at this point. My family was invited to attend a carnival tonight at a local church in town. Though my roots are in Ohio, I have extended family in this area. Every year, their church provides a FREE carnival to the community. Every year, we get a personal invitation and every year, we turn the invite down because of other circumstances. What do you know? This year, the calendar was clear and we finally were able to attend. These folks really put their hearts into this event. Everything was put together with great organization, wonderful volunteers and they were not kidding, the activities were free. With all the booths there, I could not pass up my favorite station......cotton candy. Have I mentioned the free factor? I cannot pass up free cotton candy. I love cotton candy and I don't get to indulge in that too much, so I could not resist. I went over to that booth, reached to take one of the cotton candy treats and I hear something to the effect of "Cotton candy is not for belly dancers." I looked up, she was making the cotton candy and I knew who she was. I was in shock and thinking to myself, 'I cannot believe Lakeview hires Nazarenes.' :) After getting over that little 411, I quickly hushed her and said something about that just being blog world stuff. I mean, after all, did she not see my little one and my great aunt standing near me? :) All of a sudden, paranoia settled in. These are the times that I forget anyone can read these posts which is one of the reasons I resisted starting a blog in the first place and why I hesistate to use my blog as an "update" of my life. Here I am running my mouth, thinking only people who know me read this stupid (referring to mine) blog.......not true. Now, I'm walking around wondering who will drown me with their super soaker when I turn the corner. (Read my last post and you'll understand.) Hey, my super soaker is bigger than your super soaker.

Here's another question: Why did she not let me know that she knew of my blog? After all, she's a fellow comrade, a music teacher, she could have at least let me know she's out there. Well, I'm going to find her. I have a link who is connected to Lakeview and I just bet it won't take me long. What do you do/how do you feel when your worlds collide? Inquiring minds want to know. Is it leading a double life or should the philosophy be "what happens in blog world, stays in blog world"? And is leading a double or shall I say creative life wrong? If that's the case, I'm going to show up in my bells and scarf at church on Sunday. Yeah, I'm going to live in freedom baby. If you don't like it, you don't have to look at it. Start the music now. Wait a minute, I'm playing on Sunday. Well then, I guess there's a first for everything......ever seen a bellipianist on the worship team? :)

etcha-Bay idn't-Day ow-Knay I'm-ay ilingual-Bay

2006-09-14T23:52:00.000-04:00

o-Day ou-yay ever-ay ook-lay ack-bay and-ay onder-way hy-way ou-yay art-stay e-thay ings-thay ou-yay o-day? (ike-lay apbooking-scray, or-fay instance-ay) ast-Lay eek-way, I-ay as-way unning-ray y-may outh-may and-ay eing-bay ocky-cay and-ay is-thay eek-way, I'm-ay inking-thay o-tay yself-may, hat-way ere-way ou-yay oking-smay? (a-hay,a-hay,a-hay, ust-jay iddin'-kay, it-ay as-way e-thay eer-bay.) ey-Hay, on't-day ink-dray and-ay og-blay, it's-ay ot-nay afe-say. efore-Bay y-may ife-lay eemed-say ormal-nay and-ay ow-nay everywhere-ay I-ay o-gay, eople-pay are-ay alling-cay e-may y-bay y-may en-pay ame-nay and-ay asking-ay e-may en-whay y-may ext-nay ost-pay is-ay. I-ay ust-jay and-stay ere-thay umbfounded-day and-ay ink-thay o-tay yself-may, ow-hay id-day e-hay/e-shay igure-fay out-ay at-thay I'm-ay Anon-ay? Okay-ay, ot-nay eally-ray, I-ay ink-thay ost-may of-ay ou-yay ecognize-ray ho-way I-ay am-ay. ut-Bay onestly-hay, I-ay o-day ave-hay is-thay "ing-thay" about-ay aring-shay oo-tay uch-may info-ay over-ay e-thay internet-ay. o-Say if-ay ou-yay attempt-ay o-tay ive-gay out-ay y-may ersonal-pay identity-ay, I'll-ay ust-jay arn-way ou-yay at-thay I-ay arry-cay a-ay uper-say oaker-say AT-AY ALL-AY IMES-TAY. I-ay ill-ay unt-hay ou-yay own-day! Isn't-ay is-thay odd-ay ow-hay eats-thray on't-day ound-say o-say iolent-vay en-whay ey're-thay oken-spay in-ay ig-Pay atin-Lay? art-Pay of-ay e-may eels-fay essure-pray, e-thay other-ay art-pay of-ay e-may ants-way o-tay elete-day e-thay entire-ay og-blay. owever-Hay, e-thay eputation-ray of-ay eing-bay a-ay og-blay opout-dray is-ay ocially-say unacceptable-ay in-ay is-thay area-ay. et's-Lay ace-fay it-ay, I-ay on't-day esire-day o-tay e-bay alking-way in-ay almart-Way ith-way y-may ildren-chay ile-whay everyone-ay is-ay ashing-flay e-thay "oser-lay ign-say" at-ay e-may. e-Thay ituation-say ould-way e-bay oo-tay uch-may or-fay e-may o-tay andle-hay. (I'm-ay oing-gay o-tay ave-hay o-tay art-stay attending-ay ose-thay A-Bay eetings-may after-ay all-ay.) o-Say, I-ay ill-way o-day y-may est-bay o-tay ost-pay occassionally-ay, ut-bay ime-tay is-ay of-ay e-thay essence-ay and-ay I-ay ave-hay omised-pray yself-may ot-nay o-tay et-lay y-may iorities-pray et-gay out-ay of-ay ack-way. ou-Yay ow-knay ow-hay at-thay oes-gay.......ith-way ogging-blay, ime-tay ies-flay. o-Day ou-yay ow-knay at-whay I-ay ove-lay about-ay ig-Pay atin-Lay? Everything-ay ymes-rhay. o-Yay, I'm-ay a-ay oet-pay and-ay I-ay idn't-day even-ay ow-knay it-ay. :) ell-Way, I-ay ust-may ign-say off-ay or-fay ow-nay. asta-Hay a-lay ista-vay! ow-Way, ookie-lay ere-thay, I'm-ay actually-ay ilingual-tray!!!!!!!!! :) :) :)

P-ay.S-ay. A-ay ig-bay anks-thay o-tay "unny-Fay ady-Lay" or-fay aking-may e-thay observation-ay of-ay ombining-cay y-may ove-lay or-fay usic-may and-ay elly-bay ancing-day in-ay y-may ofile-pray ic-pay. I-ay as-was oing-gay o-tay ow-shay e-thay ull-fay ength-lay ic-pay, ut-bay I-ay emembered-ray at-thay is-thay as-way ogger-blay and-ay ot-nay yspace-may. If-ay ou-yay ant-way o-tay iew-vay e-thay icture-pay ithout-way e-thay edits-ay, ou'll-yay eed-nay o-tay eck-chay out-ay yspace-may. ey-Thay allow-ay ics-pay ike-lay at-thay on-ay ere-thay. :)

sshhhh.........Secret Identity

2006-09-06T13:28:00.000-04:00

A question was posed about whether I prefer to have a pen name or whether I choose to protect my identity. I love good questions! Why do I choose to not fully identify myself? There are several reasons that will answer this question. First of all, I do not like to give out personal information because the website is accessible to everyone. (But I will tell you that my bra size is a 32DD.) Trust me, I know what's out there. I have a myspace account; That's my way of staying connected with all the concert listings of my favorite country stars. Even on my site there, you won't be able to access it very well because I set my private settings for friends only which by the way I have none. Well, except for Tom, he's a really cool guy I met
there. ;) Secondly, I'm not and will not use my blog to collect as many "comments" or "friends" as I can. This blog isn't necessarily for meeting new people, but to kick back and talk with people who know and love me when I can take a breath from the normal routine. Life is too short and I've gone to more funerals in the last five/six years of friends who've suffered and died from diseases they didn't deserve to have. I can't worry about impressing acquaintances or gathering new buddies. The friends that I admire, love, and trust are here and so, therefore, I have joined the blogging mania. This is my "no bull" way of somewhat identifying myself without getting caught up in the sensationlism of "blogging". Now, if someone comes along who can appreciate that kind of mindset, accept the humor and handle all that goes along with that and not get their feelings hurt, cool. He/She'll be next victim, I mean, link. :) Let's face it, Jesus didn't share the last supper with Bozo the Clown. His last moments here on earth were shared with the people who invested time in His life. Yeah, that's it, I want to live like I'm dying........isn't that a country song? :)

Now, as far as the pen name goes, that's very intriguing to me. In part, I do like to use Anon as my secret identity because it's my way of showing a little creativity and personality. You all know how I suffer from stage fright. :) This character Anon serves as part of my alter-ego and enables me to be transparent, in a demented sort of way, through my love of writing. So, while Anon partially gives me a secret identity, I also can lean on the side of being conservative and not sharing my SS# with everyone.

Now with that all said, let's talk about identity. Try this: Go to usa-people-search.com. Go ahead, type all the friends you have and ones that you've been wanting to track down. Weird, huh?

Okay, I'm just being honest with you all: I don't want my name posted because I know someone will claim for a rock star identity and I won't be able to get any royalties from it. Like a Madonna, yeah, I know, I can see how someone could easily mistake my name with rock star.......kind of senonymous. :)

Triatholon Update: I ran a mile today in just 9 minutes and 30 seconds. When I reached home, I ralphed up yesterday's dinner in my yard. No pain, no gain I told myself. I got my bike and started on my trek. About halfway through, I had a little accident and my bike chain broke. Hubby is not going to be happy. With all the luck I'm having, I think tomorrow will just be a "rest" day. I don't think I really want to chance the swimming part at this point. I think I'll just wait until Saturday, drown, and then it'll all be over. Won't that be a relieve? Don't forget to help take care of the kiddos for me! :)

P.S. Can someone, beside myself that is, please put another comment on my first post? Last time I looked, I had 29 and uneven numbers bother me so. I would be forever indebted to you. :)

Knock Knock

2006-09-05T13:39:00.000-04:00

Well, the time has come. I mainly did this because I was so wanting to post on Jaena's website and she never lifted the anonymous blocker off. So, I gave in. Congratulations on the victory! Plus, I also realized how paganistic I am to blog on myspace. Furthermore, I struggle with envy and couldn't take my sister-in-law always talking about having a blog. I had to have one of my very own. The number one reason I started a blog: my little one is sick and I have a free day. What better to do with a free day than blog with all of you wonderful people?