HOME SWEET HOME...

I AGREE WITH DOROTHY...
I would seriously consider myself a homebody.  I like to go places but my passion is creating a getaway in my own backyard to enjoy at my convenience.  If you have ever been to the mountains in the little area called "The Village" you have seen my inspiration spot.  I add a few items of interest each year to create a dramatic setting for nice nights to sit outside and relax.  Next on my wish list is stone for a path.  (if you happen to see David you could help me out with this...ha)

We live in our home so it is not like walking into a magazine.  My home is small but cozy.  I fill it with things I love both inside and out...it is a reflection of me:)  I absolutely love to decorate for the holidays.  To me...there really is no place like home.  It warms my heart when we take Chloe Jo places and after a while she looks at you and tells you she wants to go to her house.  She loves to be with her mama and daddy with her own stuff and her cats.  Truthfully, home is her favorite place to be.  That gives me comfort:)

Just something as silly as Taco Tuesday really gets Chloe Jo excited!  I started doing this about once a month...and she loves it:)  I think families need to make time for boardgames, arts and crafts, family get-togethers, movie nights, eating supper at the table, just basic traditions.  These are the memories I cherish the most...the simple things about our home.

On the list for tomorrow...making a stepping stone...complete with mosaic tiles and Chloe Jo's handprint at 2 years old.  Also, transplanting some Black-Eyed Susan and Bermuda grass patrol.   Go out and make fun memories in your backyard friends!    

Just a little of what has gone on at our house lately:) 

 

6 years of marriage...9 years together...both still alive...ha

Happy Anniversary to my husband:)  We got together in 2002.  We married in 2005.  Time sure does pass quickly.  David and I are opposites in many ways but alot alike too:)  I love you very much, David!  Thought I would take a short trip down memory lane.  haha  (REMEMBER THE DATE: June 25, 2005)

 Dating days

Our Wedding Day

1st Gatlinburg Trip

This was taken our first Christmas in 2002:) 

Thank you God for flowers.

IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD...

I really love the efforts of people on my street who make things beautiful for all of us to enjoy.  Many of you might just drive by and not even notice...but when I see things like this it puts a smile on my face.  Maybe this will inspire you to plant something pretty in your yard.     

SENT TO ME VIA "SURPRISE" TEXT...

Friends and family are catching on that I love to see all that is beautiful in their yard:)  This photo was sent by my Aunt Jozella.  (BIG SHOCK)  I do not ever recall her sending a picture message.  So, I truly love that she took time out of her busy schedule to send this to me!  I love you Jo:)



A great day:)

We had a fun day at Patti's with Grangy and Papa.

Chloe Jo's favorite thing was driving the pirate ships.

 

Checking out the fish in the pond with Papa...

David's friend the "cock pea"...heehee

Making Progress...

A LITTLE HERE AND THERE...

I went to Huntingdon today and put my tent up in my classroom.  I am feeling a little more at home the more of my stuff I put up.  I still have so much to do.  I am taking it little by little and eventually it will be the feeling I want for 4th graders to be excited!  I need an inviting environment for myself too...I am more like these kids than I may need to admit.  haha

This is a before shot...

and another...this is how it was when I arrived...not screaming Misty's room at all.  I will post when all finished...maybe

BIG GIRL BED...

I cannot believe Chloe Jo is old enough to be in a big girl bed.  Where has the time gone????  I finally convinced David last week that she was big enough to take the rail off of her baby bed and convert it into a toddler day bed.  She loves to hang out in it.  As it turns out she really likes to sleep in it too:)  Now if we can just master the potty...whew.

"DON'T LET ME GO DOWN THE  DRAIM"...

Little girls are dramatic...our little girl can be overly dramatic.  I have no idea where she gets this???!!  She has always loved taking a bath.  She has bath colors and things that she plays when she goes "swimming".  David usually bathes her. 

We knew something had spooked her at Granny and Papa's house in the tub the night before but had no idea how crazy her imagination had gone with it.  Drain gurgling=new phobia  

All I could hear was crazy crying and David yelling in his patient and calm voice to stop that.  When I entered the bathroom, Chloe Jo was hanging on the side of the tub with her feet in the air SCREAMING..."Don't let me go down the draim, mama!" 

David was visibly stressed.  Sweat was pouring off of him and he was breathing really hard.  His way of dealing with her new fear was to let her face it head-on.  (kinda like my dad's approach to teach me to swim...just throw me in the water...which is a whole other issue to blog about)  Anyway...so, he just pulls the drain and tries to talk to her about the water being the only thing going down.   

On to Plan B.   We agreed that maybe the best way to deal with this issue was to NOT pull the drain while she was standing in the tub the next night.  He would stand her by the tub and together they would pull the drain and watch the water go out as he talked to her calmly and comforted her. 

Plan C.  I am pretty sure Chloe Jo has no future plans of bathing.  Tonight should be interesting.  She did not feel comfort.  This is going to get ugly I am afraid.  I'm thinking David will just throw her in tonight! ha

RIDICULOUS...

My husband sent this photo to me from his break today.  Jenna has started calling him "Nemo" since his latest H2O kick.  Very funny...        

MY NEW BULLETIN BOARD IDEA...

Innovative way to use sight words...ha  ONLY KIDDING about this:)

JAPANESE BEETLES...

These things are literally feasting on all of my flowers!  They eat more than three meals a day, too.  I am trying to keep everything sprayed.  I managed to make a few photos before they cleaned their plates yesterday.  You know, if it isn't weeds its beetles... or bermuda grass!  UGH!  Something is always trying to get in my Kool-Aid around here.  Gotta go out and inspect the situation...enjoy this sunshine, friends.   

I had posted these last 2 before and they have really gotten pretty!  Can you tell I love pink??? 

Gosh...this could be my most random post yet.  Happy Thursday everyone!

Growing season...

Life is full of different lessons.  Things come in seasons.  Sometimes I handle them quite confidently...other times...not so much.  I knew when I decided to take a leap and go forward with this job change that this day would come.  THE DAY I ACTUALLY CRY IT OUT!  In my entire life I have always had my day of tears and then pick myself up and face it head on. 

Everyone in Huntingdon has been wonderful.  I had Inservice yesterday...had lunch with some of my new co-workers...put up a little stuff in my classroom.  I am getting in gear for a great year in 4th grade.  I miss my friends in Martin but I am certain that I am doing exactly what I am supposed to do.  That does not mean it will happen tear-free.  I knew yesterday that I was on the verge of a day to cry things out. 

I have shared on numerous occasions about my sometimes crippling fear of the unknown.  Who wouldn't choose the path of comfort if it was just about us in this life?  SO, I gave in to my emotions today and have cried about everything in the last 37 years there is for me to cry about.  At this present moment I am better.  But, I cannot promise in the next few minutes it won't strike me again. 

I think it is healthy to finally take a moment and let yourself  FEEL.  Usually, I am just too busy to let myself go there because I have Chloe Jo to tend to or kids at school to teach.  But on rare occasion I just let it all out.  I sat out in the swing earlier and felt the breeze hitting my face.  It was a reminder that change comes and goes just that quick...if you look at the BIG picture. 

Change makes us grow.  Change forces us to refine our skills.  Change helps us to see all that we are blessed with.  Change can also bring trials.  Change is inevitable.  It is something I am not so good with but am open to giving it my best shot.  Change makes me cry out to Jesus...and helps me regain focus in my life.  Isn't it amazing what God can say through a breeze on a hot summer day?  


I have some photos from other friends on facebook to brighten you up on this, what appears to be, gloomy afternoon.  Even though I hear thunder in the distance, I am counting my blessings, friends.  Love you all:)

Emily's finch feeder

Jean's clematis...

My Aunt Nay says this is the single most beautiful thing growing in her backyard. 

Overwhelmed...

DISHES

I think my neighbors are bringing their dirty dishes over and stacking them in my sink.  There is just no way I have that many dirty dishes with the lack of cooking going on in this house!   Why should anyone have to face this on a sunny day?  The hilarious part of the story is I loaded the dishwasher and when I went to turn it on...nothing.  Are you kidding me?  First a fuel pump for David's truck and now this!  It is cutting into our Camping Experience 2011 funds.  So, I am currently on my first break from cleaning the kitchen...

LAUNDRY

Don't even get me started on the pile of clothes I need to fold.  It cannot even be considered a pile...maybe a mountain!  I just keep washing and drying...and piling.  It is to the point I almost have to run and jump to get it on the top.  haha  I am thankful I do not have to hang my clothes on a clothesline like my Grandmother did years ago.  That would take weeks!  All I know is, we must be the dirtiest family around here.  Just the socks alone make me teary eyed and in need of a trip to Wal-Mart to just buy new ones. 

FOURTH GRADE

I will be teaching 4th grade Language Arts this coming school year.  I am still going with the camping theme and trying to utilize many of the things I already have.  Of course I am making some changes just to keep things fresh.  I am excited about what is in store for me.  I want to make 4th grade a great year at Huntingdon Middle School.  Do you think they will appreciate my singing?  Do you think I am cool enough to hang still?  I want these kids to feel the love.  I have a passion for making kids love learning!  I cannot wait to see the looks on their faces when they get their first dose of me.  (makes me laugh out loud thinking about it)  Maybe I will sing parts of Black and Yellow the first day...that CERTAINLY would make a first impression. heeheeheehee <gasps for breath thinking about this>

I DO NOT WANT TO BE THAT 4TH GRADE TEACHER THEY ALL HATE!  I cannot wait to see who gives me the first hug.  Who I have to stare down first...haha...and give "the look".  Who asks too many questions...who works for the Carroll News-Leader...who is the heartbreaker...who is the shy kid that I pull out my bag of tricks with... 

Kinda funny to think about me having to brush up on my grammar skills.    I have always worried, just a little bit, about people reading my blogs and seeing all of my mistakes especially my high school English teacher who is my friend on Facebook who I love so very much and don't you just love this run-on sentence.:)  English teachers cringe at grammatical errors...I get that.  Just relax...I have only been focusing on letters and sounds of the alphabet so long but I'm bringing it back...stay tuned... 

TOO MANY LOOSE DOGS IN GLEASON

What is it about my walking route and random dogs trying to chew my leg off?  A little yappy ankle biter came at me earlier in the week.  One literally broke his chain last night and ran out to get me.  Once a BIG three-legged dog came after me.  Another time CUJO the killer dog came at me.  Lucky for me the next day was garbage day so I drug someone's garbage dumpster half way up their drive to fight him off.  And then I can never forget the old brown dog showing his teeth at me while walking up my street.  I ALWAYS pull my Aunt Nay between me and the dog coming at us...not very nice...I know.  I will work on that...promise.

ANNOUNCING THE 3rd ANNUALVAUGHN CAMPING EXPERIENCE  2011

OH meeee....every year things get more and more interesting at the lake.  This time will indeed be a crowd pleaser for stories I feel quite certain.  David watches television and gets on the Internet to entertain himself.  I have a wonderful backyard that he does not enjoy because of the heat.  THE VAUGHN CAMPING EXPERIENCE 2011 will bring DAYS together in a camper with no cable or Internet.  Not to mention a two year old to add to the drama...should be lots of fun.  We are all about making memories.  Hopefully, David will pack up a little patience on this trip.  heehee  I will be getting back on Diet Coke at least until this is over.

Better get with it around here...turning up the ipod to finish my chores inside.  Hope you are having a happy day:)        

A new friend...

This little guy ventured down to the corn feeder yesterday...sad to say he has no fear of cats.  (we have 4!) 
I LOVE sitting in my swing and watching the squirrels...so cute:)    

This totally makes my heart sing...

I have surrendered a planter in my backyard for Chloe Jo to do her digging...usually it is for pirates treasure.  I bury the interesting items that she finds for her to rediscover with her "shobel".  Today was our first birthday party experience. 

It will almost bring me to tears thinking about how many hours I spent as a little girl digging.  I made mud pies.  They were so unbelievable I could always coax my sister, Micki, to actually eat them!  We stuck with dirt today,though...mud is the next level.  ha  I had some rocks from our old fish bowl that were perfect sprinkles for our "chocolate milk" pies and cakes.  We made candles out of sticks we found in the backyard. 

It is so much fun to see Chloe Jo use her imagination when she is playing.  Of course it makes me so happy that she enjoys the kind of things I did as a kid.  I don't care if she is dirty from head to toe...I want her to explore and create. 

We can all have a moment together as we think about the good ole mud pie days.
Have a great day friends!    

 

The birthday girl... blowing out her candles:)

Men and sickness...

We all know that I have the best husband in the world.  Despite the fact that he finds little humor in my stories about him, he always encourages me to post them.  He says this is really not funny.  Does it make me a horrible wife?  Am I a wretched person for laughing inside a little bit?  I truly believe every girl I know is thinking these same thoughts and need assurance that they are still a good person...like me. 

David IS (as they say on The Bachelorette) my guy:)  BUT,  I have this bad habit of texting people when he comes home and says he is sick.  It could be the one thing that really irks him the most about me...he says I am making fun of him.  I cannot say what I want to say to him or his speculations would be answered as truth.  (and I certainly do not want to be the reason he is right again, ha)  He doesn't share with me about doctor visits anymore because he knows I will have plenty to say about his tendencies.  See, I grew up in a home where you just didn't go to the doctor.

I have to handle this better.  Just this past month, Chloe Jo started coughing in the night.  I put Vicks on her feet and chest and kissed her good night.  Just a summer cold...not an emergency situation.  The next morning I get a call from her father from work saying he had called the doctor and they said just to come on in.  So, I get her ready...drive to Paris...mind you she is showing no signs of sickness.   I am a tad embarrassed already.  Our nurse just chuckles secretly when she sees me coming in.   That whole clinic knows about David and how protective he can be.  (which is mostly a good thing...I might add)  The doctor listens to her and checks her over...then asks when did the symptoms start?  Through gritted teeth I answer him "last night".  He asks, "what all have you tried?" I lifted my head and said, "nothing...my husband made this appointment so we are here for our prescription."   Turns out...a virus.

Wouldn't you know it...a cough here and there.  Cough turns to a bark...then deep hack...sleepless nights...trouble breathing when getting too hot at work...doctors appointment next day.  David was sick.  I had a horrible cough for a few weeks and just assumed he and Chloe Jo had caught my cold or virus.  But NO, after his "secret" appointment he rolls in with a barrel of meds and band aids from all of his shots.  His lungs had a huge mass in them and if he wasn't better by the next Monday he would have to go to the hospital for pneumonia.  Not just pneumonia...WALKING pneumonia. 

I didn't know doctors knew you had walking pneumonia without an x-ray or some other test...could this be real?  Apparently, just listening with a stethoscope will do the trick.  After a few days the meds were not helping so he returned to the doctor.  In came a new round of treatments and shots...I argued for a second opinion!  If a doctor thought you might have pneumonia why wouldn't you have an x-ray to rule it out?????  The weekend arrived and things seemed to be the same.  I knew he really felt bad.  The worst part was his nagging cough.  Still, I had my doubts about his diagnosis.

Yesterday afternoon...he rolled in here earlier than normal and I knew when he came in the door what he had done.  He went back to the same doctor.   Good news, friends, his lung had cleared up.  No more walking pneumonia.  He had another shot and a new med for sinus to add to his collection.  He felt amazingly better.  So, I texted my sisters with the news.

We discussed my attitude about the whole sickness thing.  I talked with him about it being a mental thing.  Whatever a doctor says determines a person's reaction.  All of that went over really well.  David tells me I wait until I cannot possibly go another step before I finally give in and go to the doctor.   The majority has to do with how I was raised.                

We all have our flaws in marriage.  I guess I am not the greatest nurse.  I did not show compassion in this situation.  Yes, I am feeling bad about it a little.  Never mind the fact that if I truly felt David was in critical condition I would treat it totally different.   I like to just sleep things off and be left alone when I come down with something.  So my lesson is to realize that not everyone handles feeling a bit under the weather like I do.  I should be more sympathetic. 

If the truth be told, I have never known ANY man to deal with ailments like ANY woman I know.  When you hear those words from a man...I don't feel good...inside you are saying OH MY LORD!  I will try and "secretly" work on this...because I love David in SICKNESS and in health:) 

To my husband, who will be reading this post,  I am thankful you are on the mend. 
Enjoy your day, friends!

Weekend thoughts...

THE GOLDEN GIRLS...

Today while rocking Chloe Jo before her nap, I realized I was humming the theme song to "The Golden Girls".  It got me to thinking about my friends and how we are each so different yet similar to the characters in this show.  I see myself as Dorothy, I guess.  But, I love Sophia, too.  I put Chloe Jo down and  sent a text to "Blanche" with my ponder for the day.  She was cracking up at how random for me to come up with this.  I have no explanation for my thoughts.  It's true, though...we each fit.  (not totally but close enough)  A bit of Golden Girl trivia...Betty White is the only "girl" still living.  What a great show back in the day...fun entertainment.   So, which Golden Girl do you see yourself as?

Blanche: I have writer's block. It's the worst feeling in the world.
Sophia: Try ten days without a bowel movement sometime.

Dorothy: Ma, I DON'T snore.
Sophia: Please! I had to turn you away from the window so you wouldn't inhale the drapes!

Sophia enters kitchen]
Dorothy: You couldn't sleep either, huh?
Sophia: No, I'm sleeping so good I thought I'd come try it in the sink.

Other great shows....These were some of my favorites:)  I wish you could turn on the TV and these would still be on every channnel.  These shows were pure entertainment for me during some of the best years of my life...take a trip down memory lane with me tonight, friends!  Maybe this will bring a smile to your face:)

     

LESSON: TSW upload video from personal camera on to blog...

Why is this so tough?  I am thinking my computer is just OVER IT since the virus it had.  IT takes forever to upload stuff now.  I got video to upload on facebook yesterday but it took an hour...now I am making a second attempt to post video on my blog from my computer.  (I have already had one of my diet cokes for the day...looking like I might fall off the wagon on DAY 2)

Trying to teach myself new things on the computer is always a GROWING experience for me.  My patience GROWS very thin.   In all of my years of trying to tackle technology, the majority of my equipment is so old that it doesn't work the way I want it to.  Let's just say if you look up the work  junk  in the dictionary...there would be a photo of THIS computer!  Then if you flipped back a page or two and looked up impossible...there I would be still trying to upload a video...such a Kodak moment.

It just dawned on me that I have a slight situation.  All of my computer go to girls will still be in Martin.   So, first on my agenda is to scope out a new technology guru friend at Huntingdon Middle School.  (LUCKY THEM)  Just ask those who assisted me what joy it gave them to show me the path in my plight.  Usually, when I finally put my ideas together they did turn out pretty great, if I say so myself.  Of course, my audience will be a little older this next school year.  So, I need to up my game.   

I am guessing I could just ramble on here for hours...it is still uploading video...but this lesson is about over friends.  I'll give it a few more minutes then I will be OVER IT, too.

Setting goals...

7 liters of water a day... I still cannot wrap my head around this.  I was so amazed at the news that someone I know drinks this much water in ONE DAY.   I guess my mouth is still on the floor because I do not drink enough water.  Truthfully, the only watering I usually do is for my plants:)  I was sharing all of this with David last night.  As a result of our conversation, he went to work sharing his new water story.  I just crack up when I think about this...TODAY, after telling his latest tale, he and a co-worker drank two and a half liters of water!  They set a goal to drink even more tomorrow.  It is a far cry from seven but still puts my water consumption to shame.   

I was told once that I needed to try drinking only water to rid my body of toxins.  They said psoriasis is a sign that I have toxins in my body.  (diet coke=very bad toxin, I guess)  I was also referred to an herbalist.  I have not followed up with that advice but all of this water drinking has me thinking.  I need to set my own personal goal.  I know that I am a Diet Coke addict.  I cannot have just one.  I stopped cold turkey when I got pregnant.  But, I do not want to quit completely because of the headaches I get.  I am a sipper...and like to have a drink within reach at all times.  So, I will only drink TWO tomorrow.  I will sip on water the rest of the day.  (Mrs. Emily will be thrilled with this news because we discussed water consumption in the lab sessions we had...I sure will miss that.) 

Baby steps...trying to kick bad habits is not how I want to spend my summer vacation but I will give it a try.  Let's go enjoy a nice bedtime glass of water...

About that maid I wanted for Mother's Day...

I know I suffer from randomness syndrome...but maybe that is a great attribute to have.  I am that person who can laugh about something that happened LONG AGO. The feeling can hit me at any given time.  Tears can be pouring like it just happened...probably one of those had to be there moments.  Even the smallest of events can trigger these funny memories for me.  During my walk one day this week, I was mulling over my options for the day.  Cleaning my house is always on the to do list but usually gets bumped down because it is NOT a priority for me. 

I remembered, as I walked, when I was young my room was always messy.  Now, as a grown up...my room is always messy.  As I finished my first lap, I thought about how much I hate cleaning house.  I was literally laughing out loud at the memory of the day my mother used a visual aid to try and make her point.  I am cracking up right now as I type.  I tell you...slapping my knees and gut laughter...tears...(it will probably annoy her that I think this is funny...sorry mother:))

See, I (had) this problem with throwing everything under my bed or in my closet floor.  I am a pile girl.  My brother's room, on the other hand, was sickening.  He had a place for everything and truly loved to sit and just be in his organized space.  I hung out in his room.  I would sit and watch him draw and just be in the moment of keeping things tidy.  Anyway, back to the story.  Maybe on this day there was an ultimatum that if my room wasn't cleaned up I couldn't do the thing I wanted to do.  I do not remember the specifics and I feel quite certain my mother's version of this story would not be the same as mine.haha   Typically, I opted to use the short cut method when it came to chores.  The trick was to get underneath my bed and stuff it all under the back side so nothing poked out.  Give it the- can you see it when you walk in- inspection...if not...good to go.

On this day, my mother said the dreaded words...I had to clean my room.  We got in the house...I went straight to my room to sulk about my given chore.  When I opened my bedroom door...NO LIE...there was a mound that was as tall as my room.  It almost touched the string on my ceiling fan!    Dead center of my bedroom...a pile alright...of all the stuff I had been stuffing underneath my bed and in my closet and NOT folding and putting away in my drawers.  I cannot believe my mother didn't say a word.  Looked as if she needed a good long nap after making that huge bonfire of a mess in my bedroom!  She had to be in pure delight imagining my reaction inside my room when I stepped in.  I bet she was high-fiving herself!  AND...you guessed it...IT MADE ME SO MAD!  I will never forget that heap of my stuff staring at me just waiting to find its place back in an organized room again.  Now that I am a mom and wife to an obsessive hunter...I totally get building bonfire moments.   

This week I vowed to get my house in order.  So, as I continued on to the next lap,  I made mental notes of all that I would accomplish so I could text my younger and even more organized "baby" sister that the dusting was done!  She has been known for writing notes to me on my sofa table.  Still, I kept on walking and then another visual from my childhood came to mind.  You will find it on the ledge of MamaBill's kitchen counters. It is a trinket that is white in color...a statue of a little old lady that reads..."To Hell With Housework!".  My sentiments exactly.   

Gonna go drink a Diet Coke and fire up the Macintosh Yankee Candle...maybe pour a cap full of Pine-Sol in the toilets before David gets home...and just maybe I will match up some socks in the "clean" laundry pile and put them away for old times sake:)  Come see me, friends!

Summertime and inflatable pools:)

How fun...inflatable pool times!  I cannot believe how fast my sweet baby is growing...Here are some tunes for you tonight.   Hope you enjoyed the breezy afternoon...Having a great summertime here:)

Video Moments

Let me just go ahead and say that I love David...unconditionally.  I don't just love him a little bit...I love him A LOT:)  He is a great husband and father.  He is a great provider.  He helps around the house.  He loves me just the way I am. (most of the time)  He is my best friend.  I tell him everything.  I like to spend time with him and see him interacting with Chloe Jo.  I tell ya...that melts my heart to see how much love he has for her.  David and I were meant to be together.  He is God-fearing, funny, and goal driven.  Honestly, I think he is a cutie. (especially when he is mad).  I can always depend on him.   He makes me chuckle out loud.  I cannot imagine life without him at all. 

BUT...There are these things that we married women all have...but usually do not talk about.  Of course it is after that giddy stage when you both are on your best behavior...it is like you wake up one day and see what you are truly working with. I think women need to be prepared.  Love changes.  I tell my family that they did a huge disservice to the younger gals in my family.  NO ONE EVER TOLD ME THAT A MAN WOULD GET ON MY NERVES...ALOT.   In fact, they all acted like things were perfect on the surface.  So, as a grown up I felt like a failure lots of times...because things seemed so storybook for everyone else.  If you look around most people are trying to make it appear that life is just a bundle of mushiness but secretly suffering from what I call VIDEO MOMENTS. 

In talking with friends and co-workers over the years...it is always a common thread. Thankfully, we do not ACT on these feelings because that would be just SINFUL.  I will just go ahead and ask God for forgiveness because I truly know revenge is a horrible thing.  But in the moments when you feel like you want to "hurt somebody" these moments give us a sense of peace about who really isn't in control after all...that would be our husbands.  haha 

I have shared with my closest friends that it is okay that we only think horrid things to do when we have "had enough".  Once at the gas station...I envisioned getting in the drivers seat and flooring it on two wheels out of there...leaving David covered in my dust just so I wouldn't have to hear about how right he was anymore.  I could have thrown gravel all over him and honked the horn and waved as I sped away laughing crazily.  I didn't act on these thoughts.  I knew what a great wife I was that I didn't do what I could have done. heehee

When my baby sister got engaged, I sat down with her and told her the real deal.  It is kinda like when you get pregnant.  NO ONE shares the reality of it all.  I told her that she needed to know that a man will get on her every last nerve.  It is okay.  This is the thing they don't tell you about.  When it happened I wanted her to feel that she was completely normal and her marriage wasn't failing.  I discussed that I love being married to David and the whole video moments thing.  I share with her all the time.  I want her to know we all go through stuff. (and I'm not talking the latest romance novel stuff either)  Marriage is work.  Raising a child with someone is even more difficult. 

IF you think about it...we all experience video moments.  So, yes friends, as you drive along with your husbands and you picture throwing them over the bridge into the Tennessee River and people reading in the paper about their discovery...you are completely sane.  Marriage is certainly trying at times.  Being married to me is no glass of pink lemonade on a hot summer day kind of refreshing all the time.  I am far from perfect.  I just don't get why talking about this is so hush-hush. Its not like I am going to be on the TV show Snapped.  It is completely harmless because once you have the thoughts you put them out of your mind as quickly as they come to you. It makes me feel better when I hear that others think the unimaginable at times even about the person we vowed to spend the rest of our life with. 

Maybe the generation of women ahead of me choose not to share about these things.   I jokingly talk about times of trials in my life.  But, me being the strong, independent woman that I am...I want all of you to know that you are not alone.  If you have not yet experienced a video moment...brace yourself...YOU WILL.  When that moment comes you can always go for a ride with me. 

(This message has been approved by David....haha)

Just a few Chloe Jo Happys...

I hope that my daughter grows up and is always happy in her own skin.  She is so unique and I want her to be true to herself :)  Some of my favorite things about her are that she finds random things to dress up in or to keep as "treasures"...

and OH!  that she sings in a deep voice as LOUD as she can:) 

One should never lose these things...

I always want her to be happy being who she is...