I am All About Being Neighborly...

But really, I prefer no neighbors. I love our new house and our street is very quiet as we are the only houses accessible from our street. We have neighbors directly across from us and next door to the south. There is an empty lot on the north side then another house. So this winter has been crazy and those that live to the north of us, further into the circle, tend to get snowed in when the snow drifts into the street from our house and past the empty lot.

I'm sure the neighbors snowed in get antsy and really need to get out, BUT does the one neighbor HAVE to drive on our yard? Please, just ask us, we wouldn't really care, but just ask as a courtesy, right? Or even afterwards, come over and apologize for doing so without asking first. And how did we figure this out? Well, the evidence is kinda hard to miss:


Too funny. Good thing in my old age I am getting mellow and not letting things like this get to me.

Why Do People Facebook?

Or any other social networking site? My hubby thinks they are worthless. He doesn't do FB, but I created a profile for him. He looks every once in awhile and declares how he doesn't care what people are up to. He wants to de-friend everyone, even though I am the one that created and accepted his friend requests. I created his to stay in touch with family and a few classmates(only because he was senior class president). But he still does not care about facebook.

So why do people like these social networks so much? For me, it is a great way to stay in touch with people and get back in touch with people from the past. There are so many people that say they really should/need to stay in touch with people better and this maybe the easiest way for them to do that. For me, to stay in touch with people, I really do make the effort to reach out and stay in touch with those that matter most to me. Isn't that what you are supposed to do? Reach out rather than say 'you should/need to'? I guess making an effort nowadays is pretty tough for people. But who the heck isn't busy with their lives? No matter what a person does, you are busy in your own way.

These sites are ways to express your thoughts, feelings, and tell others what you are up to. It's a way to connect to people that have been lost to you. You share your 'status' with the world. And do people care? Some do, some don't. But is that why people do Facebook to see how many people reply to their status updates? For me, I don't care if I get comments or not. I post some serious status updates, but most of all, I post non-sense status updates and silly ones. Like most things, I throw it out to the world and never think about getting responses.

Then comes the issue of privacy...in my opinion, if you are on such a networking site, then is privacy really an issue? The whole world is involved. You control your privacy. You can post your home address, phone number, and personal info if you want. People forget this is a public forum. These sites, just like my blog, is a way for people to express themselves in ways they thought they never could. So enjoy expressing yourselves, have fun with it, and I'll see you on Facebook!

I am NOT a Country Music Fan...

BUT, as I was driving home yesterday after over an hour in the car, I heard a song on The Blend on XM Radio, "Then" by Brad Paisely. I usually change the station if a country song comes on the radio. I usually don't allow my son to change to a country music station in MY car. But I was calm enough driving home that I just let the song play.

That's right, I really liked the song. It reminded me of my hubby saying the exact words to me. If he could sing, he would sing those words to me. I actually got teary-eyed(like that's something new for me).

Today is my hubby's birthday, so I dedicated that song to him this morning via Blackberry messenger(that's the way I can communicate with him while he's working in case he is in a meeting). This song is very fitting since I have known my hubby since I was 14 years old. I remember way back when 'thinking' we were in love. We've weathered a lot thru/out our years together. We've grown a lot too.

No, I will not become a country music fan, but I am able to be open-minded enough to let the music flow!

You Know You Have a lot of Snow When...

The city is having problems finding places to put all the snow. I don't think people realize the amount of snow we have here until you see it in person. My front door literally has a tunnel leading to it. Yes, I have posted pictures of it on facebook, but it still does not do it justice. We just laugh about it everytime we look at it.

Then you go driving around and all the intersections, the mounds of snow are so tall, you can't see the cars approaching. That makes me nervous for my teenaged driver.

I have always said I love winter, well I sure got my winter!! I better be careful of what I wish for in the future...

New Year, New You

That is always the theme for January as the new year starts. For me, I don't make resolutions and I haven't for a very long time. I feel as I have grown and especially matured, that is the key word, 'matured', I don't need to set myself up with resolutions that I then get disappointed by if I didn't keep them and achieve them.

We all grow, but do we all mature? Some yes, some no. Maturity has nothing to do with ones age. My definition of maturity is how I am acting as a person and feeling as a person. I am always proud to tell people how old I am, I am not ashamed of my age. Do I always act my age? No and I can admit that too. But, I do know when I need to be serious.

My silliness is about having fun and using humor to get thru life. It's not about acting immature and putting shame on myself or my family. I always tell my kids about how they need to act in public, for they represent themselves first, then represent our family. I have to heed to that same representation.

My family has come a long way from when my marriage first started. We prioritized and didn't compromise on our dreams, but were very realistic about our lives. We didn't compare our lives and situation to others. We had to ask for help a few times, but never took advantage. I hated doing that, but we really didn't have a choice. For the sake of my family, I had to swallow my pride. We all have to do that once in awhile.

I think that is how we succeeded. By comparing to others, you lose sight of what you want because you are always looking at others and not looking at yourself. I've never wanted to be like someone else or have what someone else had. We always looked at ourselves and decided what we had and could have in a very realistic way.

I made my choices in life, I had to be accountable for those choices. Guess I went thru life with blinders on so I could focus soley on what I wanted, not what others were doing or had. Once in awhile, I would say to myself, 'Wow, look what they are doing', but knew realistically, my time wasn't able to fit in what that person was doing, so I moved forward. I've never cared what other people thought of me and I think that has helped me get thru life too.

If I had let what others were doing affect my life, then I wouldn't be where I am today. We all go thru our challenges, but if you are realistic and live the way you can and are able to at the moment, your time will come to see your dreams come true.

I Don't Remember

This many snow days, ever! Even as a kid growing up in Minnesota. This is the 5th snow day for my kids, not in a row, but so far for winter. Now it's getting to the point where the kids' school year will be extended since only 4 snow days were worked into the school year. And tomorrow will probably be another snow day due to the windchill warnings. It's a crazy winter so far and it's only the beginning of winter!

So This is What it Feels Like...

To live in the North Pole! Snowing again today, snow day again today. Repeat, repeat, repeat...that must be the theme of our winter so far. I don't mind the snow, but now the kids have used up all their snow days. Starting tomorrow, with yet another snow day and Friday snow day predicted due to windchill temps, they will have to make up these days at the end of the school year. YUCK!! I hate having them get out later in June, June is bad enough! We have been so used to getting out the end of May, June seems way too long to be going to school.

But what can one do? The snow is pretty, but it's not fun driving in it. Now we brace for the winds to start up to create blizzard conditions. That makes for non-stop drifting and non-stop shoveling. Oh the joys...

I Have to Admit...

As my kids get older, I don't mind such long breaks from school. Right now, I am sitting and watching a few of them play the Wii with friends and it's pretty funny to watch them. I guess as my kids get older, they don't annoy me as much. NOT that my kids annoy me, it's when they were little, as all little kids(and sometimes big kids)say they are bored. With so many things to do around the house and such, the word 'bored' is not allowed to be spoken in my house. I do not tolerate it, really, ask my kids. They know that ticks me off.

So with the impending end to their break tomorrow, I'm actually hoping, as they are, that there will be a snow day tomorrow. I don't think there will be a snow day tomorrow, but the next day for sure with blowing snow and very frigid temps.

Some people are 'made' to be parental material for all stages in life, I'm just able to admit that there are times in my life when my kids annoy me. I'm not ashamed to admit that, I'm just realistic, there's only just so much I can handle. Now if they have two snow days in a row, will I still feel they don't annoy me? Will have to wait and see...

I Try Really Hard...

To be a good wife and mother. But there is one role that I am not good at and I can admit it. I am a horrible nurse to my family when they are sick. I don't handle sickness well at all. Oh, I can go thru the motions of taking care of the sick one, but I am not all warm and fuzzy. Maybe it's because I feel like I will get sick being around them and I hate being sick myself.

The ickiest part of someone being sick is when they throw up, that is just gross! What grossed me out the most is when I had to take care of other people's kids when they are sick. Just yuck. I found out I wasn't cut out to be a daycare provider...diapers AND sickness...ughhhh!

So I may not be a good nurse, but at least I know I will 'do' it because I can.