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No Stress Allowed
So many times in my life, I would wake up and the first thing I would focus on would be all of the things I would need to accomplish for the day or the stress of yesterday, which would negatively influence my day. It wasn’t until recently that I realized that I am in charge of how my day will be and how I handle my stress.
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Who is ‘Chelle?
Not too much has changed in the past year. I’m still a mom to 3 amazing adult children. Nathan is still engaged to Sommer, Jessica is still dating Keagan (6 years now) and Brad has bought his own home. I’m still spending way too much time on the computers. When I’m not working, I’m doing either personal computer work or Sidetracked Sisters computer work. Kiriworks, the company I’ve been working for since 2008 has now merged with i3 Verticals. I’m still doing the same type of work, implementing OnBase for customers. When needed, I’m also training our customers on how to use OnBase. My position has changed a little bit. I’m still labeled as a Senior Solution Consultant, but my responsibilities also include System Architect activities such as significant documentation. One of my recent projects resulted in creating a 190 page document. It was torture, but it was a great document.
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Family is Everything
To some people, the presence of family brings stress, challenges, and dread. They don’t like to be around family because of differing opinions or hard feelings. I have difficulty relating to those people as my family is the exact opposite. I couldn’t imagine life without them. -
One Tree is Not Enough
I’m 8 years old and it’s Christmas time. Mom has gone to the tree farm and asked them for just the top of 2 trees. The guys look at her like she has 4 heads, but they proceed to find her 2 trees about 4’ in height. Now, it’s time for me to decorate my tree. I can do anything I want with it. Mom has given me access to all of the decorations and I can use whatever I want. As my room is yellow with red accents, we put little yellow lights on the tree which give off a soft glow at night. (Yellow lights on a tree are my favorite, but I don’t have a yellow room with a tree anymore) -
I Believe
I can’t say that I remember believing in Santa Claus as a child, but I always knew that it was just a topic you didn’t bring up or question. I was concerned that if I ever questioned his existence, he would just stop showing up. But one thing I do remember was the magical way the presents appeared under the tree. -
Happy Hallothanksmas
I am definitely a holiday purist and can’t stand the fact that stores start putting out Christmas decorations before Halloween. It actually aggravates me to hear Christmas music before Thanksgiving. I’m the type of person who wants to enjoy each holiday before moving on to the next event. -
White Elephant Waste
When it comes to gift giving, I try very hard to come up with something that will mean something to the recipient. Not everyone goes through the same amount of thought that I do though. I can’t say that I’ve ever received a really horrible present except when it comes to participation in a White Elephant gift exchange. -
Thankful for Tradition
Our family has divided holidays between Mom, Lisa, Judy, and myself. We celebrate Christmas at Mom’s house, Judy and I alternate Easter at our homes and Lisa gets Thanksgiving. Because of this, when someone asks me how I’m celebrating the holiday – I gratefully get to say “I don’t have to host or cook – I just get to enjoy the day!” -
Slippery Frosting
On September 22, 2004, Grandma Is passed away and our family was forever changed. She was the one to make the holiday cookies and candy. She was the one that made the special bean and ham soup. She was the one that made Mom’s birthday schaum tortes. She was the one that made Lisa’s birthday cake and slippery frosting. -
Pick a Color
I was 23 years old and it was time to decorate my first apartment and then my own house. I had no idea where to start, what to do, or even what color to use. Then I remembered an idea Lisa had shared with me (after all – if Lisa thought it was a good idea – it probably was) -
Alexa – Let There Be Light!
Picture this: I’m living in Waukesha and it’s time to get ready for work. I take my shower and put myself together for a day of training. I wake up the baby, feed him, and get him cleaned up. We go to the parking garage, get in the car, and drive to the garage door. As it opens up, I see that the sun hasn’t even started to rise. It’s standard time and I’m feeling like I’m ahead of the game for the day because I’m up and ready even before the sun has risen. -
Excessive Daytime Sleepiness
For as long as I can remember, I love sleeping. Taking a nap while snuggled in a cozy blanket, next to a crackling fire – mmmmm – there is nothing like it. But when you have no control over your sleeping – that is an entirely different story. -
Poop Happens
Not everyone is able to handle baby poop, but for a mom – it’s not such a big deal. I did a lot of babysitting as a young teenager and was very accustomed to dealing with a baby’s needs. As a new mom – I never thought that not everyone has the same mentality about babies that I did. -
Inheriting the Red Hornet
Picture this – faded fluorescent orange with yellow front quarter panels In our family, the general consensus is that teenagers don’t need a brand-new car for their first car. Mom and Dad held to this philosophy and therefore, I did too when my kids were of the right age. My dad must have been obsessed with the year 1972 because Lisa’s first car was a ‘72, my first car was a ‘72 and my second car was also a ‘72.
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Teenage Romance
I was planning on staying home, but my best friend Janice insisted I had to come with her to Mary’s party. Mary’s family was having a party for their exchange student and all the girls were going to be there. I didn’t feel like going but resigned myself to an evening of socializing. The last thing I was looking for was romance. -
Time for Bed
As I’ve mentioned before – I LOVE sleeping. So, it naturally follows that bedtime is my favorite time of the day. But, before I indulge in this most joyous event, there are a few things that need to happen in order for me to feel ready to jump in.My bedtime routine used to be very simple. Hop into bed and you are done with the routine. I know you are supposed to brush your teeth and wash your face before hopping in, but as a kid and a young adult – that just seemed like too much work.
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Pay Attention
When you think of teachers and their importance in your life, you want to think of them in a good way. After all, you spend a significant part of your childhood in classrooms with these people. The teachers in my life have made both positive and negative impacts on me. -
Learn From Yesterday
Have you ever had the question in your head, “What has this taught me?” That’s how I tend to look at my younger self. As Walt Disney once said – “The past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it.” -
Making Happy Mornings
I hate mornings and when I get up, my first thought is “I can’t wait to go back to bed.” When I wake up, I’m not a smiling, happy person. There are some in my family that are and I’ve asked them how they do that. Their response was “I just decide before I get out of bed that it’s going to be an amazing day.” Wow – can it really be that simple? -
Tenacious Taurus
If you look to see what personality traits are associated with a Taurus, you can find a variety of different answers. The websites I found state that a Taurus is possessed/obsessed, fussy, stubborn, chilled/zoned out, and sensuous/greedy. Some things that a Taurus is into would be money, food, chilling, flirting, and shopping. For the most part, I’m in complete agreement with what I’ve read. -
Another Family Requirement
In our family, it was a requirement to take swimming lessons as a kid. This involved weekly trips to the local YMCA and moving through the different levels of skill. I don’t remember all of the levels, but you progressed from tadpoles to guppies to minnows, etc. I don’t remember what level I finally got to, but I think I finished right before the lifeguarding level. -
Let Me Google That
I’m trying to think of something that I’ve always wanted to learn how to do and I’m not coming up with anything. Throughout my life, if there was something that interested me enough, I managed to figure out how to do it. I was never the type to just leave the topic alone if it was important enough.
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Today’s Brain, Yesterday’s Body
Picture if you could pick an age you wanted to be for the rest of your life. What would you pick? How would you determine what was the best age to be? I think there would be a few questions I would need answered before I made that decision. -
Simple As It Gets
When asked how I would simplify my life, I first need to think about the things that make it more complicated. After identifying those items, I need to decide what the benefit is to changing that aspect. -
The Joy in the Journey
Some of my favorite trip memories all begin with the car ride there. When I was little, we didn’t have car seats or required seat belts or anything like that. -
Have to Have it All
Each box is dedicated to a different type of craft I can’t say that I have a favorite activity or hobby. I tend to start them, but never carry them to completion. Over the years, I’ve tried crocheting, watercolor painting, acrylic painting, sewing, making earrings, bead making, scrapbooking, card making, and more.
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Irish Driving Drama
I don’t tend to do many dangerous things, but when prompted to write about a dangerous situation that I survived, what came to mind was driving in Ireland. -
OCD – Obsessive Collecting Disorder
I am obsessed with collecting items, especially when they are part of a set. I’m not sure where this obsession came from, but as an adult, it has definitely taken hold. -
Outdoor Aversion
I’m trying to think of my favorite outdoor activity and I’m struggling. I’m not one that chooses to do the outdoor things. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll do things outside if someone asks me to, but it’s not something that I’ll automatically choose if left to my own devices. -
The Downside of Yes
For a long time, as a parent, my first reaction when one of the kids asked me if they could do something was to say “No”. I usually had that reaction because I was concerned about them making a mess that I’d have the clean up or I was worried about them doing something to make someone else angry or other such nonsense. -
Caught Naked
Have you ever seen a family member naked that you shouldn’t be seeing or didn’t want to be seeing? Well, our family has a habit of seeing the wrong people naked and at inopportune times. Over the years, there have been multiple instances of this. -
From Dad, With Love
I tend to be a creature of habit. If something was done one way for me as a child, I feel the need to inflict that same thing on my kids. The Christmas cookie decorating ritual would be one example. Another example would be first bedrooms. -
Stop Being Paranoid
One of the biggest mentors I had in my life was my sister Lisa, but I’ve already written about her, so let’s give someone else the spotlight. During my time working at a local bank, I had an amazing mentor come into my life. She was a challenging person, but very smart, and dedicated and it was my goal to make her happy.Her name was Tina, and she was the Senior VP of Operations at the bank. She had worked there since she was 19, I believe and moved her way thru the ranks. For the first 4 years that I worked for her, it was a struggle. I never quite felt like I was doing things to the point that she (or anyone) was completely happy with. There was a coworker that would come into the office very quietly. Every morning, I would stew about it, thinking that I’d done something to make her mad or upset. If she and Tina had a side conversation about something, I was always convinced they were talking about me. Finally, at the 4-year mark, things took a turn.
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Not a Prima Ballerina
I started my dance “career” at age 4 by taking tap classes. I believe Mom initially got me into classes to help me overcome my shyness. Hiding under Grandma Is’s skirt was where you’d find me if anyone tried talking to me during our errands.Now when it came time to be in dance class, my shyness disappeared. I loved being the leader of our class and getting to be the first one onto the stage during the recital. I never recall having stage fright or freezing while on stage. That never occurred to me.
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Meal Prep to the Rescue
My family doesn’t have a “favorite meal” because we have too many different tastes to contend with. When the kids were younger, this contributed to my dislike of cooking. I already hated it, but it became amplified as a parent. -
Baffle Them With Bullshit
I was 25 years old when I started working at ExecuTrain as a computer trainer. I was tasked with teaching adults about how to use Windows, Microsoft products, and other such things. After working there for about 3 months, our network administrator left and my boss said, “Hey Michelle. You said you like technical things, right? Well, here’s our network. Take care of it!” -
Lucy the Labradoodle
It was 2013 and I had been living as a single person for almost 5 years. Sam, our beautiful family black lab, had recently passed due to a horrible but thankfully quick struggle with throat cancer. I decided it was time to get another dog and this time, she was going to be mine. It was the first time I had been able to make a decision like this on my own. -
Teasing Teenagers
Picture this… I’m 14 years old. It’s New Year’s Eve and I’m having a date night with my boyfriend, Sam. Lisa and Tom are in the next room chaperoning us (as much as you can chaperone from the other room). Sam and I are kissing and before I know it, his hand is creeping under my shirt… -
I Am My Mother After All
I was 18 years old and sitting at Mom’s vanity doing my makeup. Mom came up behind me and put her hands on my shoulders. I looked from my face to hers and back to mine again and I started to cry a little. I said, “Oh My God… I DO look like you!” Boy, I sure know how to make someone feel like a million bucks! That’s just one way that I’m like my mom. -
Someday When I’m Dead and Gone…
“Some day when I’m dead and gone… then you’ll appreciate me”. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve heard that phrase from Mom’s mouth when I’m doing or saying something to her that she doesn’t like. -
Show Me The Love
Candlelight dinner from Nathan – Valentine’s Day 2011 When trying to think about what makes me feel loved or what gives me warm fuzzies, the first thought that comes to mind is when my kids remember to thank me for something I’ve done for them.
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Driving Adventures
I pride myself on being great with directions. I can’t recall a single time I’ve been lost when I’m driving. (Now if Mom is driving – that’s an entirely different story). Even as a kid, I’ve always paid attention to things as we were traveling from one place to another. -
Computer Geek at Heart
When I was a little kid, I always wanted to be a teacher. I loved the idea of imparting my wisdom to others and knowing more about things than my students did. I always looked up to my teachers and wanted that admiration as well. As I got older, I decided there was no way I was going to be able to teach little kids. I love little kids, but their goofiness can get tiresome. Middle school kids are too hormone riddled to handle and high school kids are too close to adults and many show teachers no respect. So where did that leave me? -
Newspaper to the Rescue
April 7th, 1980. I was 9 years old and was heading to Grandma Is’s house after school. Grandma’s house was only 2 blocks from school and I made the journey without any challenges. It was a beautiful spring day. Not a cloud in the sky. At least not yet. -
Make Way For A Landing
It was the end of the summer before the second grade and Lisa and I were on our way home from Grandma Is’s house where we spent our summer days while mom was at work. We were riding our bikes and because I was only 7, I usually rode on the sidewalk. -
Traumatic Events
I had a few traumatic events happen to me during my grade school years. Both events were a result of my teachers and had a significant impact on my feelings about those years. -
Always There To Help
One thing I absolutely love about my parents is that they are ALWAYS there to help me. In any way, shape or form. As long as I can remember… I’ve been spoiled with this fact.I remember in high school, after receiving my own car (see my previous post about the little red hornet), dad would take each car to the filling station on Friday and fill it up for the week. I never had to worry about running out of gas while dad was around.
When I was in college in the dorms, mom and dad came up to Eau Claire and made my dorm rooms into better homes and gardens so that I would enjoy my environment. Dad made bunk beds and carpeted my rooms, while mom decorated every spare inch, from recovering bulletin boards and chairs to painting and hanging curtains. Once I moved off campus, mom and the grandmas would come up and take the weekend to repaint cupboards and bedrooms and again, decorate everything that would stand still so I wouldn’t feel so homesick.
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Worrying About the What-Ifs
You know the quote… “A mother’s work is never done”? Well – I think it’s more accurate to say “A mother’s worry is never done”. When thinking about what I worry about, I start to think that it’s easier to ask what I don’t worry about. -
Rambunctious Boys and a Mini Me
Is there a difference between raising girls vs boys? I definitely experienced a significant difference between the two sexes. I wasn’t prepared for the discrepancy I experienced as I only grew up with my older sister and never had to deal with boys in the household. -
Family Commune
When asked what my dream house would be, there is 1 thing that comes to mind… It would be to have a family commune. I envision it similar to how we used to go camping. Each family unit has their own private area, but there is also a common area where we would gather for meals and general activity. -
Don’t Scare the Kids
I can’t say that I have ever had a favorite pair of PJs. Throughout the years, I’ve worn nightgowns, silk shirts/shorts, “nighties”, sweats, and gone naked. Each one has been comfortable at the time that I wore (or didn’t wear) it. -
No BS Weight Loss
I’ve always had a poor body image about myself. From feelings of being too thin to feelings of being overweight, I have never been happy about how my body looked. -
A Permanently Exhausted Pigeon
At this point of my life, I don’t think I’m a night owl OR an early bird. I know for sure that I’ve never been an early bird. The idea of waking up early in the morning puts absolute dread in my heart. -
The Dreaded Ice Derby
At what point do you decide that your child has to participate in an event or allow them to quit? I’ve often wondered this over the years in relation to various kids’ activities, but especially when I think about my childhood. -
Christmas Until Easter
I always struggle with when to take down my Christmas decorations. I’m not the type of person that puts everything up the day after Thanksgiving.I usually try to wait until at least December has started. I’m also strongly against taking them down on December 26th as so many people do as I’ve just got them all up and the house is looking very festive and cozy.
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OCD Christmas
Christmas was always so fun for me as a child, so when I began my family, I wanted to make sure they had as much fun with it as I did. For the first 2 ½ years, when Bradley was an only child and we lived in New Berlin, we would come and stay in Beaver Dam for the holidays. Christmas Eve was always spent with the in-laws and Christmas Day was with my family. -
White Christmas
My all-time favorite Christmas movie would have to be White Christmas. By the time the season is done, I will have watched it at least a dozen times. The music and dancing make me smile every time. -
Sleepover with Grandma
As a child, our Christmas holiday was always made more special because Grandma Is would come and spend the night with us. It always felt like such a special treat to have Grandma sleepover. Each year, Lisa and I would take turns hosting Grandma in our room on our trundle bed. -
Show Me the Money
Chore list from age 5 – Notice no allowance listed! As a child, I remember having some chores, but because I didn’t have to do my work alone, it never seemed to be a big ordeal. Mom had taken the time to type a list for Lisa and me that we were expected to do in order to get a weekly allowance. I don’t actually remember ever getting the allowance, even though there was a spot on the chore list to write down the amount owed.
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Weird Habits
When thinking of habits, I know I have more, but these are the 3 that came to mind…Procrastinating, Creasing and Chickees!
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Save the Best for Last
I’m the youngest by 5.5 years of 2 girls in my family. Mom always calls me her #1 #2. Being the youngest had its pros and cons. With a 5.5-year difference between Lisa and me, it sometimes felt like I was an only child. When Lisa was 18 and going to college, I was only 13 and in 8th grade. -
Laminated To-Do Lists
I am the queen of procrastination. No matter how hard I try or plan to be efficient and punctual, I always seem to fall short. Whether it’s cleaning my house, working in the yard, or some other task I’m not fond of doing, I always seem to find better things to do with my time. -
All Things Candy
I’m a fan of anything sweet, so I think the best part of Halloween has to be the candy! From candy bars to smarties, there are not many types of candy I don’t like. -
I Just Don’t Get It!
Get your own “Just Say No” items by Steven Rhodes at https://www.redbubble.com Anyone who knows me, knows that I’m not a fan of sports. I grew up in a household of 3 girls and dad was not a big sports fan either. I actually try to avoid sports if I can. I know that’s not a popular opinion in today’s society, but that’s just who I am.
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Hair is an Accessory
I kept my hair long up until I went to college. You may think that it was by choice, but actually, it was Mom’s choice. I was forbidden from cutting my hair, probably because Lisa had cut hers, and mom was traumatized from that point on. Even though I couldn’t cut my hair, I did on occasion get a perm in my hair to try to combat the stick-straight quality of it. The perms didn’t hold for very long and I even went to a beauty salon a time or two to get a spiral perm. Those perms worked better than the at-home perms but still weren’t a long-term solution.
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Makeup is Optional
‘Chelle in 9th grade I didn’t start wearing makeup until I was in 9th grade. I never went out to buy my own, but simply acquired it from either Lisa or Mom. I only wore concealer, mascara, a little blush, and eyeliner. At one point, I tried wearing white concealer as an eye shadow, but I quickly stopped that practice because we were at a high school football game and Lisa screeched above the din of the crowd “Why do you have white creases on your eyelids? What did you do?” I was horrified.
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Work to be Free
Sitting in front of my computer screenTrees outside changing hue
Mindlessly working along
Wishing I were doing something new
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Made in the Shade
When I think about growing up or my childhood, the best parts include the times I had the ability to do things that I felt gave me extra freedom or responsibility. -
Longing for College Life
The first time I moved away from home would be moving to college. I was so excited to make the move, I had planned out my entire dorm room before even getting home from my college tour. -
Cadaver Grafts and Karate Class
Bradley (age 10), Nathan (age 7) and I were all taking a karate class. I thought it would be a great way for the boys to learn some discipline and also burn off some extra energy. (which they had a lot of) Many days, it was a struggle to get them to class, but every once in a while, they enjoyed going. -
Either You Love Country Music, Or You’re Wrong
Sometimes, there is a sound or a song that I hear and I’m instantly transported back to an event or time in my life. Some of those events are great and others, maybe not so much, but still, those sounds are powerful in their ability to move my memory somewhere else. -
Family Means Everything
Gma Is, Uncle Lloyd and Gma Doris at my wedding Both of my grandmas taught me many life lessons as I grew up and I was so very lucky that they were both with me until I had my own children.
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Cajun Cheese Soup
I’m not a big fan of spicy things, so I was hesitant to try this Cajun Cheese soup when I first encountered it, but it quickly became a favorite of mine and now of the entire family! -
Always Landing On My Feet
I think my spirit animal is the cat.According to https://www.spiritanimal.info, the cat carries many meanings revolving around the balance between seemingly opposites, such as inner and outer, action and rest, and light and dark. It’s strongly symbolic of the connection with what usually hides in darkness or the unknown. The cat generally represents:
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Give Me Aladdin’s Lamp
One of my favorite Disney movies is Aladdin. I love Robin Williams’s portrayal of the genie. He has so many great lines and it makes me laugh every time I watch that movie. While watching that movie, I’ve often thought, “What would I wish for if I had 3 wishes?” -
In Loving Memory
**This is a writing. It is not real.**
How do you describe the life of Michelle? She was born on May 2, 1970 at 8:30 am. Being true to her stubborn nature, she was born 1 week after the date she was due. She was going to come out when she decided it was time.
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Circus Trauma
Circus Nursery
I was 4 years old and had a beautiful circus-themed nursery. There was a handmade circus wagon on one side that my dad made special for me, complete with a canopy overhead. The circus wagon had cute stuffed animals on it of a lion, a tiger, and a bear, among others. On the opposite wall were pictures of those same sweet circus animals. Mom thought she had done such a great job making this cute, sweet nursery, but little did she know… -
Color Me Beautiful
Back in the early 1980s, a book was published called “Color Me Beautiful”. The inside flap of the book states “Using simple guidelines, professional color consultant Carole Jackson helps you choose the thirty shades that make you look smashing. COLOR ME BEAUTIFUL will also help you: develop your color personality; learn to perfect your make-up color; discover your clothing personality; use color to solve specific figure problems, and more, including full-color palettes containing the thirty shades for each season–pages you can cut out to carry when you shop!” -
Meant to Be?
Looking back at my life, what is the one decision that I would change if I could?Well, there is one thing that I wish I could do-over. By changing this one thing, my life would’ve taken an entirely different turn. Keep in mind, that I’m very happy with how things have turned out, but I do wonder how things would be different. -
Death of the Red Hornet
When someone says “Have you ever been in a car crash?”, immediately I have 2 memories that come to mind. The first involves Grandma Is and the brown Mercury Comet. -
The Birth of My Princess
I had always said that I wanted 4 kids. My hubby said, “No – 2 is fine”. I offered a compromise and said “How about 3?” He again was adamant that 2 was fine. But for some reason, my family didn’t feel complete. -
A Lifetime of Weight Concerns
Growing up I was always thinking about my weight. I was never happy with what I looked like. As a young child, I was painfully aware that I was so thin. The veins were so close to the surface of the skin that my chest appeared purple. Because of this, I would never wear anything with a V-neck or a low collar to hide this fact. -
It’s the Odd-Ball Things
Both mom and dad did so many amazing things for me over the years, but the ones that really stand out were the ones that dad did. We used to tease mom that it was because I didn’t have any happy childhood memories of her, but in actuality, it was because the things that dad did were the odd-ball things. -
My Birth of My Pumpkin
I was pregnant again and my doctor had told me that my due date was December 13th, but that this was going to be a big baby. I remember during one appointment, my doctor did an ultrasound and said, “You’re going to have a boy and he is NOT shy!” Our little boy was in my belly, arms and legs somewhat outstretched and his privates were very obvious! -
Details Worth Remembering
For so many, their wedding day is one of the most memorable events of their life. For me, with my swiss cheese brain, the complete details are a bit lacking. I do, however, remember a few details worth mentioning.
Wedding shoes
I was adamant that I would NOT go barefoot at my reception regardless of how my feet felt. None of the shoes I found were anything that I liked, so I found a simple pair of white satin heels and applied beaded appliques. I hate it when brides are wearing a beautiful gown and then proceed to either barefoot or wear stupid comfortable shoes. So – even though my feet were killing me, I kept my wedding heels on for the duration of the day. (My toes were numb for the next week in Jamaica) -
Can Netflix Binging be Considered Self-Care?
I’ve never really thought much about self-care until recently. Previously, I feel like I just did certain things because I liked them. Now, I try to more consciously perform some self-care. Here is a list of the items I’m currently doing to take care of myself. -
She Thought She Could, So She Did!
Trying to use 3 words to describe myself is no easy feat. Do I want to use positive or negative words? I’m currently working on my positive self-talk, so I think I need to focus on the kinder words. I had to resort to asking the family for words that described me and here is what they came up with. -
Losing Loved Ones
In contemplating what my greatest fear is, I’d have to say it’s the fear of loss. The idea of losing a member of my family is unbearable to me. Whether it’s my sister, my mom or dad, my aunt, any of my kids, or any of my family, the thought brings me to tears. -
Money Will Take Care of Itself
Money is a loaded topic to me. When I was younger, I never really gave money too much of a thought. We always seemed to have enough money to do the things I wanted to do and buy the things I wanted to buy. I had no reason to feel deprived by a lack of money. -
A Full Bucket List
My Dream Board I never used to have a bucket list of items I wanted to accomplish, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized there are things I want to accomplish before I die. I’ve included a few items that I’ve already done just because I like to have at least something checked off my list! (Like putting “Make my bed” on a daily to-do list AFTER I’ve already made it!)
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Protected: Divorce is the First Step
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Who Do You Think You Are?
The best advice I’ve ever given is this: Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken and if people don’t like you, that is ok. -
A Little Bit of This and a Little Bit of That
I’ve always been told I look just like my mom. I could never really see it myself until I was about 18. I was doing my makeup at her vanity and she was standing behind me. Looking from her face to mine and back again, it suddenly hit me and I started to cry stating “Oh my God. I DO look like you.” Really nice right? I’m sure mom really appreciated my tears! I don’t know why I cried – I think Mom looks great and always has. I should be so lucky to look as good as she does. -
Easter Hunting
There are lots of things to love about Easter – from the candy to the family dinner, but my favorite part has always been the Easter egg hunt. -
My Houdini Hamster
Over the years I’ve had a slew of pets including dogs, fish, hamsters, birds, salamanders, crayfish, and cats. My first bird was a yellow parakeet with red eyes that I named Buttercup and my first hamster was a white albino teddy bear hamster (but I don’t remember it’s name).
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My Sister – My Hero
My sister was always my hero growing up. This is not a new thing for me to reveal by any means. She played the flute, so did I. She was a cheerleader, so was I. She went to UW Eau Claire, so did I. There are many more examples, but you get the idea. -
The Birth of My Peanut
I remember the birth story of each of my kids very well. Many people will tell you horror stories about childbirth, but I’m not one of those people. I loved being pregnant and having my kids. I never had a day of morning sickness and each of my labors was pretty easy (compared to some). -
I Hate Tuna!
I have a serious aversion to canned tuna! The smell, the texture, the presentation… All of it grosses me out. When I was younger, mom would make these tuna burgers that many people will say, sound delicious. I will have to strongly disagree! Even the thought of it makes me want to gag. -
Love Daisies But When’s the Flood?
Sometimes there are just certain items of clothing or certain pairs of shoes that just have a special meaning to them or bring back a particular memory. I have a few things that do that for me.
Kindergarten -
Drive Me Home
When I first was learning to drive, I remember that mom was at work, so Lisa got the privilege of taking me to the DMV for my temps. After I left the building, Lisa threw me the keys and said “Ok – drive me home.”