It's been forever since I wrote and new blog. So much has been going on that I've not had time to sit down and write it all out, so here goes.....
I had jaw surgery in March. Every thing's good except for the occasional pain here and there.
I've dropped 10 pounds since I got sick in February. I've started working out and feel great. Another 10 pounds to go and I'll be happier with my body.
My sister is getting divorced. 21 years old with a baby. Feel for her.
I've been working like a maniac. 10 hour days most days and then taking work home. I'm working really hard on not working so much. It's just not healthy, not to mention my personal life is suffering.
I bit off all of my nails. Got really mad one day and chewed them off. I hate myself for doing that.
I've started wearing heels more often. Love the way they make me feel.
Fell in love with a new body spray. It's called Sexiest Musk. Yum.
Been to a bunch of concerts in the past 2 months- Bryan Adams, David Cook, Eddie Money and American Idols Live. My favorite was the Bryan Adams show. He's SO hot. Can't believe he'll be 50 this year. Looks like he's in his 30's.
I'm starting to feel unsettled again. Happens every now and then. Start thinking about my life and wondering if I'm really happy or not. Ever get feelings like that?
Really want to go to the beach.
Went shopping with a friend and she helped me pick out some clothes that make me feel great when I wear them.
Keep getting bills in the mail for my hospital visits in February. Keep paying off the bills as soon as they come in, but seems like every week there's a new charge popping up. Wonder if I'll ever have this paid off.
Thinking about moving. Been looking for a new house. It's not really such a buyers market as everyone says. Might move to York because taxes are cheaper there, as are the house prices. Although, I love where I live right now. Beautiful development with views of the mountains and river and a corn field in the backyard...but the house is too cramped and I'm not close to anything. Maybe I'm just too picky.
One of my brothers and one of my sisters (I have 4 brothers and 2 sisters) are planning a trip to see me. Hope they'll really be able to come. I miss my family.
Getting a bunch of money back in taxes. Yea!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Surgery Outcome
My surgery on Thursday went well, but I have to go back because they weren't able to get everything. So I've spent the past few days in bed doing nothing. I'm so drugged up that I keep forgetting things. For instance, I called my Mom and forgot I called her, so called her back to tell her everything I'd already said. I only know this because I was told that's what I did. In addition to the pain of the surgery, I've developed a bad cold. My entire body aches and my back hurts from laying on it, but when I sit for too long, I get dizzy. I've also been sleeping non stop since Thursday afternoon. I find that I can only stay awake for 2 or so hours at a time. Guess I really need the rest. It's nice to know the pain I've been in for so long has almost come to an end. Hopefully, I'll be able to beat this cold and the pain from the surgery will go down by Tuesday because that's when I've got to go back to work.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Meltdown
I kinda lost it last night. Ok, maybe not kinda. I had a complete and utter meltdown. I'm having extensive jaw surgery this morning and last night it all just caught up with me. I had one of those "somebody just died" cries. I'm thinking it was a combination of realizing how big my surgery is and getting no sleep this week. I've been averaging only 4 hours of sleep a night and I'm an 8 hour a night kinda girl, so if I don't get 8 hours....look out. This morning has been kinda tough because I can't eat or drink anything before surgery, so I'm not able to get my coffee fix. How do you get up at 3am and do a morning show without coffee?
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Eddie Money and John Waite Concert
Went to see John Waite and Eddie Money at AMT. It was my first time at the theater and I've got to say- I was really impressed. It's such a nice venue and the best part? The seating! Nice big comfy seats with lots of room.
John Waite opened for Eddie Money and he was AWESOME! Totally enjoyed his performance. He did Missing You, of course and When I See You Smile and closed with a little song about a cafe and girl trying to become famous. I've got to see if I can find out that name of that song because I really liked it. (Sounded like something Shawn Mullins who sang Lullaby would sing)
Eddie Money started on time, which was nice because it's not usually the case. You know how you go to see a show and sit there forever waiting for the artist to make their way to the stage? Hate that. I was surprised to read that Eddie turned 60 yesterday because he looks a lot older, but still has a killer voice.
I have to admit, I'm not an album Eddie Money fan, meaning I don't know songs off his albums, only what we play on the radio but even when he was doing songs I didn't know, I found my foot tapping along. Loved when he picked up the sax- I'm a sucker for the sax.
John Waite opened for Eddie Money and he was AWESOME! Totally enjoyed his performance. He did Missing You, of course and When I See You Smile and closed with a little song about a cafe and girl trying to become famous. I've got to see if I can find out that name of that song because I really liked it. (Sounded like something Shawn Mullins who sang Lullaby would sing)
Eddie Money started on time, which was nice because it's not usually the case. You know how you go to see a show and sit there forever waiting for the artist to make their way to the stage? Hate that. I was surprised to read that Eddie turned 60 yesterday because he looks a lot older, but still has a killer voice.
I have to admit, I'm not an album Eddie Money fan, meaning I don't know songs off his albums, only what we play on the radio but even when he was doing songs I didn't know, I found my foot tapping along. Loved when he picked up the sax- I'm a sucker for the sax.
But then something happened......Eddie's daughter, Jesse took the stage. She'd been there the whole time singing back up, but Eddie walked off and Jesse took over. It was all a little confusing. I wasn't sure if I was at a talent show or strip show. The girl is beautiful and really has a nice voice, but she needs to calm down. Seriously, the girl was gyrating and groping herself and at one point my guy asked if I had any dollar bills. I can see how the guys in the audience would enjoy the performance, but for me, it was a little too much. A couple people walked out during her part of the show. I don't know if it's true, but I've been told Jesse is to thank for getting Eddie back into the concert circuit and if that's the case; kudos, but she still needs to tone it down!
Eddie with his daughter Jesse
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Lookng for a SUPER EASY dinner idea?
Here you go- something I've made myself many times and it's fast and easy.
You need:
Chicken Breast (I buy mine in bulk- the boneless, skinless frozen in a bag kind)
Lunch meat Ham (Store brand works well and is cheap)
Provolone Cheese (Again, store brand is cool)
Water (It's free!)
Olive Oil (You can get some cheap olive oil at Aldi- it's like $3 for a bottle0
Knorr's Pesto Sauce (I wanna say this is like $1.75 at the grocery store)
Chicken Broth (Store brand- I never pay more than 30 cents a can)
Before you go to work in the morning- put 1 frozen boneless, skinless chicken breast per person in your crock pot. Cover with 1 can of chicken broth and set on low. When you get home from work, (carefully-the chicken will be really tender and might fall a part) take the chicken out of the crock pot and place on a baking sheet. Take a slice of thinly cut ham lunch meat and put over the top of the breast. Next put a piece of provolone cheese over the ham and chicken. Then whip up a packet of Knorr's Pesto Sauce (all you need is the sauce packet, water and some olive oil) and spoon a little over the chicken/ham/provolone. Pop in the oven (at the lowest setting- mine is 175 degrees) until the cheese melts.
I like to serve this with brown rice and broccoli, but I've also put the whole thing on a toasted roll and made a sandwich out of it.
Yum, yum, yum!
You need:
Chicken Breast (I buy mine in bulk- the boneless, skinless frozen in a bag kind)
Lunch meat Ham (Store brand works well and is cheap)
Provolone Cheese (Again, store brand is cool)
Water (It's free!)
Olive Oil (You can get some cheap olive oil at Aldi- it's like $3 for a bottle0
Knorr's Pesto Sauce (I wanna say this is like $1.75 at the grocery store)
Chicken Broth (Store brand- I never pay more than 30 cents a can)
Before you go to work in the morning- put 1 frozen boneless, skinless chicken breast per person in your crock pot. Cover with 1 can of chicken broth and set on low. When you get home from work, (carefully-the chicken will be really tender and might fall a part) take the chicken out of the crock pot and place on a baking sheet. Take a slice of thinly cut ham lunch meat and put over the top of the breast. Next put a piece of provolone cheese over the ham and chicken. Then whip up a packet of Knorr's Pesto Sauce (all you need is the sauce packet, water and some olive oil) and spoon a little over the chicken/ham/provolone. Pop in the oven (at the lowest setting- mine is 175 degrees) until the cheese melts.
I like to serve this with brown rice and broccoli, but I've also put the whole thing on a toasted roll and made a sandwich out of it.
Yum, yum, yum!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
The Long or Short of It
Having a hard time deciding whether to grow my hair long or to keep it shorter. If you've ever had to make this decision, you know how hard it is. Help!!!! Which look do you think is better?
ps. Love my hairdresser, but he WON'T take me back to blonde. :( That's the one thing I'm really sure that I want to do.
Long:
Or short?
ps. Love my hairdresser, but he WON'T take me back to blonde. :( That's the one thing I'm really sure that I want to do.
Long:
Or short?
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
What the Stimulus Means for You
A study of the recovery plan shows most households will qualify for a tax break. Boost for some could be worth several hundred to several thousand dollars.
Roughly 97% of American households could see tax savings as a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, according to a new analysis by a nonpartisan research group.
The Tax Policy Center crunched the numbers and concluded that the average savings would be $1,179. But how much a household actually gets depends on income, marital status and whether a filer has children. The savings range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand.
The law, which President Obama signed on Tuesday, contains a range of tax breaks for individuals. Those likely to affect the greatest number of households are the new Making Work Pay credit worth up to $400 ($800 for joint filers); a patch to protect middle- and upper-middle-income families from having to pay the Alternative Minimum Tax; and expansions of the earned income tax credit and the child tax credit for low-income families.
There are also breaks that address specific situations: a new credit for first-time home buyers, a sales tax deduction for car buyers and a new credit to help pay for college tuition. For people receiving unemployment benefits, the first $2,400 will be tax free.
On Saturday, Obama said the government had already taken action on the broadest of the law's cuts -- the Making Work Pay.
The Treasury Department has told employers to reduce the amount of taxes withheld from paychecks by April 1. Treasury estimates that a typical family will begin taking home about $65 more per month, according to Obama.
"Never before in our history has a tax cut taken effect faster or gone to so many hardworking Americans," Obama said in his weekly video and radio address.
In addition, the economic recovery plan contains a host of tax breaks for small businesses.
The Tax Policy Center used a representative sampling of all tax filers and non-filers, including information on their income, their spending and their demographics. And then they applied the various tax provisions for which those in the sample pool qualify.
Some Tax-Saving Scenarios
A single person with no children making between $20,000 and $30,000 would see a 12.5% reduction in his or her tax liability for an annual savings of $453. The same person making between $50,000 and $75,000 would see a 4.6% drop, or $626.
How households may fare under the economic recovery plan.
Income Tax Saving Drop in Tax Bite
Under $19K Avg. $476 -95%
$19K-$38K $652 -22%
$38K-$66K $781 -9%
$66K-$112K $1,301 -7.5%
$112K-$161K $2,549 -8.3%
$161K-$227K $3,883 -8.3%
$227K-$603K $5,133 -5.7%
$2.8M plus $39,350 -1.4%
Source: The Tax Policy Center
At the upper income ranges, someone with income between $100,000 and $200,000 would see a 2.1% drop, which translates into $706.
With or without kids, a married couple filing jointly making between $50,000 and $75,000 could see a 10.5% drop for a savings of $991. Those making between $75,000 and $100,000 would see their tax liability go down 9.1%, or $1,457.
Couples with very high incomes -- between $200,000 to $500,000 -- could see a 7.5% decline in their tax bill, or $5,645.
Households with children, regardless of the parent's marital status, would see savings on their tax bill averaging 9.7% of their tax liability, or $1,975.
The first tax credit filers will enjoy is the Making Work Pay credit, which will show up in increments in people's paychecks starting in April.
In some instances, such as with the first time home buyer's tax credit, the money can be claimed on one's 2008 tax return if the home purchase occurs between Jan. 1 and before Nov. 30 of this year.
But in many cases, a household won't see some of their stimulus savings until they file their 2009 returns, which they can't do until 2010.
Of course what filers' save on their federal taxes under stimulus may be muted by the fact that their cities and states -- facing steep budget shortfalls that will be lessened but not eliminated by stimulus funding -- may end up raising taxes and fees.
Copyrighted, CNNMoney. All Rights Reserved.
Roughly 97% of American households could see tax savings as a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, according to a new analysis by a nonpartisan research group.
The Tax Policy Center crunched the numbers and concluded that the average savings would be $1,179. But how much a household actually gets depends on income, marital status and whether a filer has children. The savings range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand.
The law, which President Obama signed on Tuesday, contains a range of tax breaks for individuals. Those likely to affect the greatest number of households are the new Making Work Pay credit worth up to $400 ($800 for joint filers); a patch to protect middle- and upper-middle-income families from having to pay the Alternative Minimum Tax; and expansions of the earned income tax credit and the child tax credit for low-income families.
There are also breaks that address specific situations: a new credit for first-time home buyers, a sales tax deduction for car buyers and a new credit to help pay for college tuition. For people receiving unemployment benefits, the first $2,400 will be tax free.
On Saturday, Obama said the government had already taken action on the broadest of the law's cuts -- the Making Work Pay.
The Treasury Department has told employers to reduce the amount of taxes withheld from paychecks by April 1. Treasury estimates that a typical family will begin taking home about $65 more per month, according to Obama.
"Never before in our history has a tax cut taken effect faster or gone to so many hardworking Americans," Obama said in his weekly video and radio address.
In addition, the economic recovery plan contains a host of tax breaks for small businesses.
The Tax Policy Center used a representative sampling of all tax filers and non-filers, including information on their income, their spending and their demographics. And then they applied the various tax provisions for which those in the sample pool qualify.
Some Tax-Saving Scenarios
A single person with no children making between $20,000 and $30,000 would see a 12.5% reduction in his or her tax liability for an annual savings of $453. The same person making between $50,000 and $75,000 would see a 4.6% drop, or $626.
How households may fare under the economic recovery plan.
Income Tax Saving Drop in Tax Bite
Under $19K Avg. $476 -95%
$19K-$38K $652 -22%
$38K-$66K $781 -9%
$66K-$112K $1,301 -7.5%
$112K-$161K $2,549 -8.3%
$161K-$227K $3,883 -8.3%
$227K-$603K $5,133 -5.7%
$2.8M plus $39,350 -1.4%
Source: The Tax Policy Center
At the upper income ranges, someone with income between $100,000 and $200,000 would see a 2.1% drop, which translates into $706.
With or without kids, a married couple filing jointly making between $50,000 and $75,000 could see a 10.5% drop for a savings of $991. Those making between $75,000 and $100,000 would see their tax liability go down 9.1%, or $1,457.
Couples with very high incomes -- between $200,000 to $500,000 -- could see a 7.5% decline in their tax bill, or $5,645.
Households with children, regardless of the parent's marital status, would see savings on their tax bill averaging 9.7% of their tax liability, or $1,975.
The first tax credit filers will enjoy is the Making Work Pay credit, which will show up in increments in people's paychecks starting in April.
In some instances, such as with the first time home buyer's tax credit, the money can be claimed on one's 2008 tax return if the home purchase occurs between Jan. 1 and before Nov. 30 of this year.
But in many cases, a household won't see some of their stimulus savings until they file their 2009 returns, which they can't do until 2010.
Of course what filers' save on their federal taxes under stimulus may be muted by the fact that their cities and states -- facing steep budget shortfalls that will be lessened but not eliminated by stimulus funding -- may end up raising taxes and fees.
Copyrighted, CNNMoney. All Rights Reserved.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Why am I laughing....
....when I should be crying after the day I had today?
I locked myself out of the house this morning and had to place a "honey, I need you" call to get back into the house. You can imagine how that went over. I've got to remember to get a new battery for the garage door code puncher inner thingy so that this doesn't happen again.
I went to a meeting where my boss and I were the only ones to show up. Do we smell or something? We sat there for half an hour just looking at each other before we decided to ditch the meeting.
A sales person took a jab at what I was wearing (wouldn't you wear jeans and a sweat shirt if you had to clean out dirty vehicles?). He's an ornery old man who likes to pick on people littler than him (he's like 7 feet tall- so mostly everyone is littler than him). Some days are just better for jabbing than others.
My hair decided to really make me mad today by falling in my face. Sometimes it really knows how to push my buttons....
I got screamed at by not one but two people on the phone. I had no idea what they were talking about and tried to tell them, but they kept screaming. I hope they feel better. Their lungs really got a work out. No way I could work at a call center. Can you imagine getting screamed at by people all day long? That's why I start every call center conversation with "I know this isn't your fault, but...."
I broke a nail. If you're a recovering nail biter like me, you know why this is a big deal.
Got a bill from the hospital telling me I have no health insurance and that I have to pay them 2 grand for my hospital visit earlier this month. Uh. What's that I pay an arm and leg for each month? Oh yeah....HEALTH INSURANCE! I'm giving myself time to calm down before I call them.
AND then I was told some upgrading needed to be done on our website. No biggie, right? Wrong. Out of all the markets in the country, OURS was the one who's work didn't save. It's 8pm on a Monday night and I've just finished re-building everything I built on the web last night.
And here I sit laughing. My sides ache. I don't know why I'm laughing. I should be crying, but I can't stop laughing. Usually I'd cry. Maybe I've finally been broken. I kinda like this laughing thing. Sure beats crying...
I locked myself out of the house this morning and had to place a "honey, I need you" call to get back into the house. You can imagine how that went over. I've got to remember to get a new battery for the garage door code puncher inner thingy so that this doesn't happen again.
I went to a meeting where my boss and I were the only ones to show up. Do we smell or something? We sat there for half an hour just looking at each other before we decided to ditch the meeting.
A sales person took a jab at what I was wearing (wouldn't you wear jeans and a sweat shirt if you had to clean out dirty vehicles?). He's an ornery old man who likes to pick on people littler than him (he's like 7 feet tall- so mostly everyone is littler than him). Some days are just better for jabbing than others.
My hair decided to really make me mad today by falling in my face. Sometimes it really knows how to push my buttons....
I got screamed at by not one but two people on the phone. I had no idea what they were talking about and tried to tell them, but they kept screaming. I hope they feel better. Their lungs really got a work out. No way I could work at a call center. Can you imagine getting screamed at by people all day long? That's why I start every call center conversation with "I know this isn't your fault, but...."
I broke a nail. If you're a recovering nail biter like me, you know why this is a big deal.
Got a bill from the hospital telling me I have no health insurance and that I have to pay them 2 grand for my hospital visit earlier this month. Uh. What's that I pay an arm and leg for each month? Oh yeah....HEALTH INSURANCE! I'm giving myself time to calm down before I call them.
AND then I was told some upgrading needed to be done on our website. No biggie, right? Wrong. Out of all the markets in the country, OURS was the one who's work didn't save. It's 8pm on a Monday night and I've just finished re-building everything I built on the web last night.
And here I sit laughing. My sides ache. I don't know why I'm laughing. I should be crying, but I can't stop laughing. Usually I'd cry. Maybe I've finally been broken. I kinda like this laughing thing. Sure beats crying...
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Friday Night and I feel Alright
(That song has been stuck in my head since Friday night- hate when that happens!)
Went out Friday night with some friends for Tapas at Culturas (a restaurant inside El Serrano Restaurant). It was wonderful to hang out with friends and share some really good food!
On Saturday we celebrated my father in law's 77th birthday. Two years ago this month, we sat in a hospital in Reading and were told that Father (that's what I call him) was dying. Thankfully he wasn't plagued with the cancer the doctors told us he was and he's still here today.
Here's Father with me, my sister in law Linda, sister in law Debbie and mom in law Mary Ellen:
Father with the sisters and me:
Me with my sisters in law:
Me with my sisters and mother in law:
Giving Father his 77th birthday cake:
I'm sitting here now watching the Oscars. Opening scene with Hugh Jackman was pretty cool. Who knew Anne Hathaway has such a great singing voice? Did you see Angelina on the red carpet? She looks preggo again. How long do you think it'll be before we're told that she really is? Right now Jen Aniston is on stage presenting. Wonder how weird it feels for her to be on stage right in front of her ex husband (Brad's smack dab in the front row). She's so beautiful. Much more so than Angie, I think. Speaking of Angie, I watched some of Changeling with my sisters in law yesterday. GREAT movie! I was bummed we had to leave before I could finish watching it.
DMB is coming!!!! Just saw a commercial that had Dave in it and I did a google search to see if the dates for their tour had been released. They're playing Hershey on 7/24, but tix don't go on sale until 3/13. I have to memory bank that....have never been to a DMB concert which is pretty pathetic since they're one of my favorite bands.
It's 9pm and I'm pooped. There's no way I'm gonna make it through all of the Oscars....
Went out Friday night with some friends for Tapas at Culturas (a restaurant inside El Serrano Restaurant). It was wonderful to hang out with friends and share some really good food!
On Saturday we celebrated my father in law's 77th birthday. Two years ago this month, we sat in a hospital in Reading and were told that Father (that's what I call him) was dying. Thankfully he wasn't plagued with the cancer the doctors told us he was and he's still here today.
Here's Father with me, my sister in law Linda, sister in law Debbie and mom in law Mary Ellen:
Father with the sisters and me:
Me with my sisters in law:
Me with my sisters and mother in law:
Giving Father his 77th birthday cake:
I'm sitting here now watching the Oscars. Opening scene with Hugh Jackman was pretty cool. Who knew Anne Hathaway has such a great singing voice? Did you see Angelina on the red carpet? She looks preggo again. How long do you think it'll be before we're told that she really is? Right now Jen Aniston is on stage presenting. Wonder how weird it feels for her to be on stage right in front of her ex husband (Brad's smack dab in the front row). She's so beautiful. Much more so than Angie, I think. Speaking of Angie, I watched some of Changeling with my sisters in law yesterday. GREAT movie! I was bummed we had to leave before I could finish watching it.
DMB is coming!!!! Just saw a commercial that had Dave in it and I did a google search to see if the dates for their tour had been released. They're playing Hershey on 7/24, but tix don't go on sale until 3/13. I have to memory bank that....have never been to a DMB concert which is pretty pathetic since they're one of my favorite bands.
It's 9pm and I'm pooped. There's no way I'm gonna make it through all of the Oscars....
Friday, February 20, 2009
The Clean Up
It took two industrial size garbage bags to clean up my desk from all the shredded paper and two vaccuum bags too!
Monday, February 16, 2009
You have to see it to believe it......
I thought my birthday celebration was over. I was wrong. It all started this morning when my friend Christina picked me up and took me to breakfast. When we got to work there was a trail of rose petals on the floor leading to our office. I asked what had happened and there was only silence from Christina. Didn't even think to turn around and look at her. I should have known something was up. We opened the door to our office and that's when I finally turned around- Christina was holding her video camera. My reaction to what I saw was priceless. I have to explain that I used to be the birthday committee at work. I'd go around collecting signatures on a birthday card and then would decorate the birthday person's desk. Payback, I suppose is sometimes warranted....here's what my co-workers did to me:
You know I had to jump in....
Here I am donning the infamous "Cumulus birthday hat"
How am I supposed to work in this mess?
Like my "hat?"
Check out the realistic looking bunny I got. We've named him Roger.
You know I had to jump in....
Here I am donning the infamous "Cumulus birthday hat"
How am I supposed to work in this mess?
Like my "hat?"
Check out the realistic looking bunny I got. We've named him Roger.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
My birthday
Despite all my rants about how much I hate Valentine's Day, this year's turned out to be pretty good after all. I don't recall every once not having snow on my birthday. Even when I lived in the Midwest it snowed. This year didn't let me down. It's funny to look out my window now and see the ground clear of white stuff, but it was definitely falling yesterday. Snow on my birthday has always been a nice treat for me.
On Friday at work, my friend Christina gave me flowers and a jar of pickles (I LOVE pickles!). Tomorrow morning she's taking me to breakfast.
Also on Friday, my co-workers gave me cards, which were really sweet. It's so inexpensive, but such a nice gesture. I'd recommend doing this where you work. You can make a card on the computer and print it out on stock paper. Sometimes we get so caught up in everything that we forget to say nice things to the people we work with. Having a card that everyone can sign gives people the chance to say something nice and it really does brighten up a day.
At home, we started my birthday celebration at midnight on Saturday by opening a few presents from my family. My parents gave me an old fashioned phone. The kind made with ivory and brass. When I was a kid we had one and I loved it. I've always dreamed of having one of my own, so this means a lot to me.
I think pearls are so elegant and timeless. You can wear them with anything, so I was psyched to get a set of pear earrings from my man.
At 8am, the doorbell rang and there was a beautiful flower delivery from my in-laws. It's the first time some one's ever sent me flowers on my birthday. And these look so perfect in my kitchen.
Then I made breakfast. I'm kinda excited about what I made- it was border line Martha-ish.The pictures never look as good as Martha, but here's what I made:
My whole family called to sing happy birthday to me and then I went to work to do my weekend shift. When I came home, there were more presents to open!
This card made me cry. I hate the way I look when I cry. I have the WORST cry face.
I got a gift card to my favorite store. Yea for being able to buy some new summer clothes!
And then I opened a gift to find something I'd wanted for a long time. A wireless printer that I can use with my laptop.
As we do every Valentine's Day we ordered Chinese and afterward had a yummy cheese cake!
All in all, it was a really nice Valentine birthday and I am a happy girl.
I have to say, I know a lot of people think of birthdays as nothing, but as a kid my mom blew birthdays up. I mean, she went the whole 9 yards. From huge signs hanging from the front porch to decking out the house in decorations to playing games and baking a huge cake. Birthdays were always bigger than life in my house. I think part of the reason birthdays were so huge is because 3 of us were born on holidays, me on Valentine's Day, my brother Jeff on Easter and my brother Brian on Christmas. I don't think mom ever wanted our birthdays to get lost in the shuffle of the holidays. Plus, I think she really enjoyed going all out and making our day so fun.
Yesterday, I got some emails from friends remembering past birthdays when we were kids. One of my friends is a school teacher and she told me that every year on Valentine's Day she thinks of me and of cookies. My mom had this huge heart shaped cookie cutter and every year on my birthday she'd make gigantic heart shaped cookies for all the kids in my class. Then in pink frosting, she's write out each classmate's name. Talk about dedication. A lot of friends remember those cookies.
Another friend remembered the butcher paper. Mom had a big roll of butcher paper and for each of our birthdays she'd roll out a length of it and write a message to us. Then she'd hang it from the pillars of our house. It'd stay up all day and every one who drove by knew who's birthday it was.
A couple of my friends wrote to tell me they often think of the party we had for my 16th birthday. My mom made up a list of things we had to find and then set us free in the neighborhood for a scavenger hunt. Afterward we all lined up in a row to have a squirt of whipped cream put in our mouths. I don't know how this tradition started, but in my family when it's some one's birthday, mom pulls out the whipped cream and squirts it into mouths. The thing I remember most about that birthday is that some of my friends got whipped cream on their clothes. We went outside in the snow to have a snowball fight and all came back in smelling like spoiled milk. We laughed a lot about that.
The one thing my mom has always been great at is birthdays and I hope that one day I'll be as good as she is with my own kids.
On Friday at work, my friend Christina gave me flowers and a jar of pickles (I LOVE pickles!). Tomorrow morning she's taking me to breakfast.
Also on Friday, my co-workers gave me cards, which were really sweet. It's so inexpensive, but such a nice gesture. I'd recommend doing this where you work. You can make a card on the computer and print it out on stock paper. Sometimes we get so caught up in everything that we forget to say nice things to the people we work with. Having a card that everyone can sign gives people the chance to say something nice and it really does brighten up a day.
At home, we started my birthday celebration at midnight on Saturday by opening a few presents from my family. My parents gave me an old fashioned phone. The kind made with ivory and brass. When I was a kid we had one and I loved it. I've always dreamed of having one of my own, so this means a lot to me.
I think pearls are so elegant and timeless. You can wear them with anything, so I was psyched to get a set of pear earrings from my man.
At 8am, the doorbell rang and there was a beautiful flower delivery from my in-laws. It's the first time some one's ever sent me flowers on my birthday. And these look so perfect in my kitchen.
Then I made breakfast. I'm kinda excited about what I made- it was border line Martha-ish.The pictures never look as good as Martha, but here's what I made:
My whole family called to sing happy birthday to me and then I went to work to do my weekend shift. When I came home, there were more presents to open!
This card made me cry. I hate the way I look when I cry. I have the WORST cry face.
I got a gift card to my favorite store. Yea for being able to buy some new summer clothes!
And then I opened a gift to find something I'd wanted for a long time. A wireless printer that I can use with my laptop.
As we do every Valentine's Day we ordered Chinese and afterward had a yummy cheese cake!
All in all, it was a really nice Valentine birthday and I am a happy girl.
I have to say, I know a lot of people think of birthdays as nothing, but as a kid my mom blew birthdays up. I mean, she went the whole 9 yards. From huge signs hanging from the front porch to decking out the house in decorations to playing games and baking a huge cake. Birthdays were always bigger than life in my house. I think part of the reason birthdays were so huge is because 3 of us were born on holidays, me on Valentine's Day, my brother Jeff on Easter and my brother Brian on Christmas. I don't think mom ever wanted our birthdays to get lost in the shuffle of the holidays. Plus, I think she really enjoyed going all out and making our day so fun.
Yesterday, I got some emails from friends remembering past birthdays when we were kids. One of my friends is a school teacher and she told me that every year on Valentine's Day she thinks of me and of cookies. My mom had this huge heart shaped cookie cutter and every year on my birthday she'd make gigantic heart shaped cookies for all the kids in my class. Then in pink frosting, she's write out each classmate's name. Talk about dedication. A lot of friends remember those cookies.
Another friend remembered the butcher paper. Mom had a big roll of butcher paper and for each of our birthdays she'd roll out a length of it and write a message to us. Then she'd hang it from the pillars of our house. It'd stay up all day and every one who drove by knew who's birthday it was.
A couple of my friends wrote to tell me they often think of the party we had for my 16th birthday. My mom made up a list of things we had to find and then set us free in the neighborhood for a scavenger hunt. Afterward we all lined up in a row to have a squirt of whipped cream put in our mouths. I don't know how this tradition started, but in my family when it's some one's birthday, mom pulls out the whipped cream and squirts it into mouths. The thing I remember most about that birthday is that some of my friends got whipped cream on their clothes. We went outside in the snow to have a snowball fight and all came back in smelling like spoiled milk. We laughed a lot about that.
The one thing my mom has always been great at is birthdays and I hope that one day I'll be as good as she is with my own kids.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Why didn't I.....
.....post the name of my dentist in the blog below, is a question a lot of people have been asking me. Sorry folks. Can't do. My mouth has to stay shut on this one. I will tell you that I plan on filing formal complaints with whomever will take them regarding the lack of care given to me.
I predict that even if Danny Gokey doesn't win Idol, he'll still find a way to put out an album that will knock the socks off everyone. There's something about this guy's voice that's mesmerizing. I've never voted on AI before, but this year I'm definitely gonna vote for this guy.
Check him out here:
Singing I Hope You Dance- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyjDwNjkHh4
Singing Kiss from a Rose- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSzHDWFOW70
Singing Somebody to Love- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9W8_ETJzGU&feature=related
Danny's AI Audition singing I Heard it Through the Grapevine- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntGT6yLSGpI&feature=related
I predict that even if Danny Gokey doesn't win Idol, he'll still find a way to put out an album that will knock the socks off everyone. There's something about this guy's voice that's mesmerizing. I've never voted on AI before, but this year I'm definitely gonna vote for this guy.
Check him out here:
Singing I Hope You Dance- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyjDwNjkHh4
Singing Kiss from a Rose- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSzHDWFOW70
Singing Somebody to Love- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9W8_ETJzGU&feature=related
Danny's AI Audition singing I Heard it Through the Grapevine- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntGT6yLSGpI&feature=related
Saturday, February 7, 2009
My Friday Night In The ER
Who doesn't want to spend their Friday night in the ER? That's where I was on Friday night.
It all started back on January 15th when I went to my dentist in a lot of pain from a bad tooth. My dentist put me on meds and said it'd get better. It didn't. I went through the full dose of my meds and was still in an insane amount of pain. Called my dentist twice and she never called back. Eventually couldn't take the pain anymore so I went to my doctor who first advised me to call my dentist (duh-I'd been doing that) and then sent me to Lancaster General to have cat scans because she was worried about the possibility of there being an infection traveling into my head. This was on Thursday night. I called my dentist AGAIN on the way to the hospital and told them I was having Cat Scans because my doctor was concerned. They said the dentist would call back. She never did.
I woke up Friday morning with a bad rash on my face. I've got a history of something called Peri-orbital Cellulitis. You know how you get cellulite on the back of your legs? Well you can also get cellulite other places on your body because your body is made of cells and when the cells bunch together, they cause cellulitis. Mine always happens right below my right eye. The problem with Peri-Orbital Cellulitis is that it is an infection that can lead to a staph infection, which is an infection of the blood and very bad. It's also scary because my Peri...is so close to my brain. It's been 13 years since my last bout with this, but because my dentist let an infection in my mouth go as though it was nothing, my Peri...flared back up. I knew something was up because in addition to the rash and the pain, I lost 7 pounds in 2 days. Not a good way to lose weight! So last night, I had to spend time hooked to an IV and am now on a ridiculous amount of meds to fight off the start of a staph infection. I've got to be monitored by my doctor and the hospital for the next few days to make sure I'll be ok. All because my dentist decided I wasn't an important case to call back. How pathetic is that? It just goes to show that in this world of downsizing, some medical professionals pick and choose who they think the important cases are. Apparently my dentist didn't think I was an important case and it's ended up costing me hundreds upon hundreds in hospital bills.
I do want to say though that Lancaster General is without a doubt, the BEST hospital I've EVER been to. Every single person treated me like a person and not just another number. The listened to me and explained things and the doctor even measured out my facial infection so when we got home we could measure again to see if it was better or worse. I got a little vibrating thing (kinda like what you get when you wait at a restaurant) in the ER to let me know when it was my turn to see the doctor. That was pretty cool. No more nurses yelling out patient names. Nice to know I remained anonymous. There's even a little room in the ER for kids to play in. Whoever came up with that idea should be kissed by parents. The ER was surprisingly calm. No screaming people or frantic employees. Most of my hospital experiences haven't been pleasant and I'd rather stay out of the hospital, but if I had to pick a place to go, it'd definitely be Lancaster General.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
I cried.....
.....when I saw Jennifer Hudson sing the national anthem at the Superbowl. All that kept running through my head was what a rough year she had. Her mom, sister and nephew were all murdered. How do you bounce back from something like that? She's such a strong girl!
Oh, and I have to tell you this, I'm in LOVE with Sally Hansen Nail Color Pens. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them. It's so much easier to paint your nails and they dry really fast.
Oh, and I have to tell you this, I'm in LOVE with Sally Hansen Nail Color Pens. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them. It's so much easier to paint your nails and they dry really fast.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
25 Things- So y'all can stop tagging me!
Once you've read though this, you're supposed to leave a message below for me with 25 things about yourself.
1. I have a serious coffee addiction. I get the shakes if I go a couple of hours (except when I'm sleeping) without coffee.
2. One of the nicest things someone once said to me was that whenever they smelled coffee and perfume, they thought of me. It's nice to be associated with good smells. =D
3. I have 7 piercings. All in my ears, although I only wear earrings in the bottom holes. Impractical to wear them in the other holes because headphones and earrings don't always jive. Two words- "snag" and "ouch."
4. I've had the worst earache for about 3 weeks. I don't have time, seriously don't have time to get to the Dr. during the day. I need to carve out some time this week. I'm tired of being tired and not able to sleep because of the pain.
5. I used to have a dirt collection. Really. I collected dirt in baby food jars from all the states I'd visit.
6. I wish I could be 22 all over again. 22 was a great age for me.
7. I snore. Loudly. Or so I'm told.
8. I've got NO attention span. I have to be doing a million things all at once and be all hyped up to feel calm and be able to pay attention to each thing I'm doing.
9. The Notebook gets me every time. Whenever I need a really good cry, I pop in The Notebook.
10. If I ever have kids, I'll name my daughter Abbey. Just Abbey. And my son either Jacob or Caleb. I'm leaning more toward Jacob. Jake Taylor....that was one of the character names in the movie Major League. Hmmmm. Kinda like the sound of it.
11. When I watch TV, I almost always have my laptop with me. I like to do online research of the shows I'm watching and learn about the actors and such. Total dork, I know.
12. I'm the oldest of 7. Three of my siblings are young enough to be mine.
13. I haven't had any contact with my real dad in 20 years. Sometimes I think about him, but mostly I don't.
14. I was born in Washington State, but moved to NY when I was 8 and lived there until I turned 21. When I was 21, I moved to Vermont and lived there for several years. Vermont is where my soul is. I want to be buried there.
15. I can't stand when people chew loudly with their mouth open. It's worse than nails on a chalkboard. Manners, people!
16. I get really into some of the books I read. I get emotionally connected with the characters and often laugh and cry while reading.
17. If I weren't in radio, I'd be a college professor.
18. The first (and last) time I went skiing, my friend took me to the triple black diamond trail. Once I got going and realized what kind of trail I was on, I stopped and plopped down in the snow refusing to go any further. They had to send snowmobiles to get me.
19. I wish I could dance. When I tell people I can't dance they try to convince me I can, but I can't. I'm worse than Elaine...
20. On the inside I'm a rebel and reckless. On the outside, I'm mature and responsible.
21. I haven't been on an honest to God vacation since I was a kid. Every year we talk about going on vacation. Never happens.
22. I loooooooove pictures. I love taking them, staring at them, posting them and organizing them.
23. I wish EVERY single day that I could be taller. If only by a few inches. "I wish I was little bit taller, I wish I was a baller I wish had a rabbit in a hat with a batand a '64 Impala....." Remember that song? 1995...Skee-Lo.....check out the vid here.
24. On Friday night, I was this close to going to a tattoo shop and getting my nose pierced. Then reality set in. See what happens when you hang out with the girls? They're bad influences. =D
25. I've stopped biting my nails!!!! Now I kick filing cabinets when I get mad.
1. I have a serious coffee addiction. I get the shakes if I go a couple of hours (except when I'm sleeping) without coffee.
2. One of the nicest things someone once said to me was that whenever they smelled coffee and perfume, they thought of me. It's nice to be associated with good smells. =D
3. I have 7 piercings. All in my ears, although I only wear earrings in the bottom holes. Impractical to wear them in the other holes because headphones and earrings don't always jive. Two words- "snag" and "ouch."
4. I've had the worst earache for about 3 weeks. I don't have time, seriously don't have time to get to the Dr. during the day. I need to carve out some time this week. I'm tired of being tired and not able to sleep because of the pain.
5. I used to have a dirt collection. Really. I collected dirt in baby food jars from all the states I'd visit.
6. I wish I could be 22 all over again. 22 was a great age for me.
7. I snore. Loudly. Or so I'm told.
8. I've got NO attention span. I have to be doing a million things all at once and be all hyped up to feel calm and be able to pay attention to each thing I'm doing.
9. The Notebook gets me every time. Whenever I need a really good cry, I pop in The Notebook.
10. If I ever have kids, I'll name my daughter Abbey. Just Abbey. And my son either Jacob or Caleb. I'm leaning more toward Jacob. Jake Taylor....that was one of the character names in the movie Major League. Hmmmm. Kinda like the sound of it.
11. When I watch TV, I almost always have my laptop with me. I like to do online research of the shows I'm watching and learn about the actors and such. Total dork, I know.
12. I'm the oldest of 7. Three of my siblings are young enough to be mine.
13. I haven't had any contact with my real dad in 20 years. Sometimes I think about him, but mostly I don't.
14. I was born in Washington State, but moved to NY when I was 8 and lived there until I turned 21. When I was 21, I moved to Vermont and lived there for several years. Vermont is where my soul is. I want to be buried there.
15. I can't stand when people chew loudly with their mouth open. It's worse than nails on a chalkboard. Manners, people!
16. I get really into some of the books I read. I get emotionally connected with the characters and often laugh and cry while reading.
17. If I weren't in radio, I'd be a college professor.
18. The first (and last) time I went skiing, my friend took me to the triple black diamond trail. Once I got going and realized what kind of trail I was on, I stopped and plopped down in the snow refusing to go any further. They had to send snowmobiles to get me.
19. I wish I could dance. When I tell people I can't dance they try to convince me I can, but I can't. I'm worse than Elaine...
20. On the inside I'm a rebel and reckless. On the outside, I'm mature and responsible.
21. I haven't been on an honest to God vacation since I was a kid. Every year we talk about going on vacation. Never happens.
22. I loooooooove pictures. I love taking them, staring at them, posting them and organizing them.
23. I wish EVERY single day that I could be taller. If only by a few inches. "I wish I was little bit taller, I wish I was a baller I wish had a rabbit in a hat with a batand a '64 Impala....." Remember that song? 1995...Skee-Lo.....check out the vid here.
24. On Friday night, I was this close to going to a tattoo shop and getting my nose pierced. Then reality set in. See what happens when you hang out with the girls? They're bad influences. =D
25. I've stopped biting my nails!!!! Now I kick filing cabinets when I get mad.
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