It's Official

Just thought I would make it official that I am abandoning this blog.

I am sure that was fairly obvious since I have not posted since early February. I have found that I just don't have time. It isn't important to me and I don't really get any enjoyment out of it. Why continue?

So...I am not. One less thing on the to do list.

You can catch up with me on Facebook, email, phone....or...here's an idea....IN PERSON! Let's get together.

So Long.......

Proud Mama

I have always had a tendency to be over analytical. Interestingly, I tend to over analize the mundane...a $200 vacuum purchase, the best dog food for Dottie, which programs to DVR. I analyze myself too but not as routinely. It tends to bore me or I get too overwhelmed and end up doing something else entirely.

Once again I find myself, as I usually do close to my birthday, analytizing myself. How can I improve? Where do I "need work"? Criticism is something I have easily given myself in the past. Such a nasty habit. See...there I go...criticizing my criticism.

I would say that 32 was a big year for me...Bishop was born. Do life events get any bigger than the birth of a child? So, I didn't spend a lot of time focusing on "me". And, that was fine even important. An infant needs nurturing, love, attention, food, a clean butt....not a lot of time left over for self reflection. A new year...a new leaf. Not that Bishop won't be an absolute priority for me. Obviously, I will continue to mother in every sense of the word. But, I am more than a mother. I am me. Me who enjoys legal dramas on TV, anything cheesy (literally...the dairy kind), springtime, the grocery store, driving around with no destination...me.

So, as I approach my 33rd year with optimism and grace, I am challenging myself to be proud of me! No criticism just praise. What do I like about me? What do I find interesting about me? Fun about me? This is the year of me. My comeback as the TMZ's of the world would call it...

I am proud...
that I finished college.
that I have a successful marriage.
that I have a great relationship with my parents and appreciate them more and more everyday.
that I have a home.
that my hubby and I live below our means.
that we will be debt free by my 34th birthday.
that I went on a volunteer retreat all by myself.
that I quite smoking 3+ years ago.
that I am a "go to girl" at work.
that I completed my MIRM designation.
that I push myself into situations I am uncomfortable with .... speaking in front of others.
that I was successful on Weight Watchers once and lost 55 lbs.
that I tried to have a natural childbirth even if the midwife and doc had other plans.
that I am honest.
that I am a good mom.
that I had a life before I was married that I can look back on with no regrets.
that I am an American.
that I don't get sucked into trends or fads.
that I can bake a cheesecake.
that I have good decorating skills.
that I am a quick learner.
that I read to Bishop.
that I have a good sense of humor.

that I continue to try and improve.....

Here's to a fabulous year that I can be proud of!

I love Christmastime!

I am sure a lot of people could say that. I know I am not unique in that respect. Here are some of my favorite things about Christmas...

1. Christmas movies...what can I say...I am a junkie for them. My favorite of all time is "It's a Wonderful Life". I know that is somewhat predictable, but I genuinely love that movie and cry every time I watch it. My thoughtful husband even bought it for me this year ... digitally remastered but still in black & white as God intended.

2. Christmas Carols. Bring on the nostalgia. I am a fan of the traditional songs...O Holy Night, Little Town of Bethlehem, The Christmas Song...I think they remind of childhood although I can't really pinpoint why. Maybe just an overall sense of the holiday season.

3. The scent of fresh garland and fir trees. It makes me smile.

4. Baking. Now, I am not usually a big sweets baker... thankfully, because I would probably weigh about 500 lbs. Everyone knows I have a serious sweet tooth. If it is sugary, I will eat it. I am not picky. I give equal rights to all candies, cookies, cakes, pies...you name it. So, at the holidays I like to do some baking. I think baked goods make great "gesture" gifts.

5. The Lights....need I say more...

I am really looking forward to adding more "favorites" as Bishop grows up. I am already planning on traditions...some I experienced as a child and others that will be all our own. Bishop will only get one childhood and I want to make it special. Plus, I get to be a kid all over again.

Tagged...

Getting tagged makes me feel good...warm and fuzzy...someone thought of me...anywho...

4 things I have done today...
1. Feed Bishop cereal
2. Pay bills
3. Update my blog
4. Track my Weight Watchers points (yea...it's that time again...stupid Halloween candy is NOT helping)

4 things on my to-do list
1. Make shrimp stir fry for dinner
2. Take Bishop for a walk down to the lake
3. Fold clothes
4. Take a shower

4 Guilty Pleasures
1. Morning radio (discussed in a previous post)
2. ???
3. ???
4. ??? (looks like I need to pick up some new habits...)

4 Random Facts About Me
1. I am addicted to routine
2. I dressed up my dog for Halloween but not my son (he was asleep --- he did wear a Halloweed onesie to school)
3. I LOVE the sky and colors at sunset
4. I was up at 4:30 this morning...for good! The end of daylight savings is not good for a 5 month old.

4 Favorite Movies
1. Father of the Bride
2. The Big Chill
3. Field of Dreams
4. Coal Miners Daughter

4 Places of Employment
1. Cable provider
2. Mortgage Company
3. Local homebuilder
4. National homebuilder

Things Always With Me
1. my tattoos
2. sense of humor
3. appetite (hence the weight watchers)
4. the girls...may they one day return to their glory!

4 Favorite Memories
1. my wedding day and honeymoon
2. vacation on St. George Island
3. Me, Kevin and the dogs at the park
4. The day Bishop first smiled at me

4 things you couldn't go a day without
1. Faith
2. My family
3. coffee
4. a Bishop hug

Guess I am supposed to tag someone now...how about Joy...

Here's to vices...

Not the good kind...I gave the majority of that up in stages over the past 3-5 years or so.

I am talking about innocent guilty pleasures...i.e. trashy morning radio, Venti full fat full sugar coffee from Starbucks, greasy breakfast food and the like.

I am great at avoiding trash TV as I call it. I don't even have the desire to watch the garbage that is on MTV or VH1 or WB/FOX/UPN. But, I have a strange need to listen to trashy morning radio. If you live in Atlanta, I am sure you are familiar the morning radio show I am referring to...love lost & found, HS football pool and Most Personal Secrets should sound familiar. Why do I listen? Maybe the crazies make me sound much more sane. Maybe it is an escape (I am now picturing a bad after school special...Janie needs to "escape" her _________). Anyway...

I enjoyed my greasy breakfast food this morning with the knowledge that in 5 short days I will, again, be back on the WW plan. I had success with Weight Watchers before Bishop was conceived so I figure its worth another shot. So, between now and then, bring on the sugar filled coffee, sticky breakfast food and anything else that isn't "points" friendly. After Tuesday, it is back to sugar free Oatmeal, plain old coffee with Splenda and ....I don't know....I am hoping the motivation will kick in soon....

So...here's to vices...I guess radio is all I have left!

Ringtones make me giggle..

So here I sit, minding my own business, trying to look busy at work and then...
"Hey there Delilah, what's it like in New York City. I'm a thousand miles away..." I am sure you know the song. The radio killed it over the past 6 months so that now I just roll my eyes when I hear it.

The humor here is the owner of the phone with this ringtone...maybe 40-45 ish...desperately trying to look cool by knowing the Plain White T's. If only he knew...

Of course, I am not really one to give pointers on how to look cool. I find I rarely know the newest bands, groups, singers...whatever the kids are calling them these days. I don't watch the garbage on MTV or VHI...frankly, I don't know how people sit through it. Maybe for the same reasons my hubby can still be found watching a Springer episode...it's all about the trainwreck. And I definitely don't have the latest rage in clothes or accessories.

I must confess I did download The Office theme song as my ringtone a while back. Then I traded phones with my hubby so now it is his ringtone. I just have the regular old, sounds like a phone ringtone. How boring am I? It just seems so hard to commit to a song.

I don't want some young kid in my office make fun of me on his blog because my ringtone isn't cool. Come to think of it...is saying "cool" even cool anymore.....

I feel old.

Bishop is 4 months old

I can hardly believe Bishop is 4 months old. What an amazing 4 months!

I never imagined all the emotion I would experience. I always thought I was a relatively emotional person. I have cried at my fair share of commercials. I get teary at PetSmart when they have the dogs to adopt. But, nothing compared to the tears I shed now. Tears of pride, fear, anger and above all, love! It overflows.

And, that is just in 4 months. I can only imagine what a year, 10 years, 18, 32 years will bring.

I never knew my heart could be so full and I could be so blessed.