Miss me...?

So this past weekend was kind of bittersweet...a friend of mine, Bethany (Black) Walker's dad died suddenly of a heart attack.  I am sure you have all read about how alone he has been since his wife died back in January so I won't go into all the details.  Bro Jerry was probably one of the nicest men I knew and he was a wonderful father to his girls.  I remember many times spending the night with Bethany and never once did he try to quiet us down (even though he was probably ready to pull his hair out)!  I feel for Bethany...I can't imagine being 31 with three kids and losing both of my parents within 6 months of each other.  The one thing that I really enjoyed about this weekend though was seeing everyone I grew up with.  It seems like everyone you ever knew always shows up at a funeral and you get to looking back, remembering the good ol' days.

Chanda (Guffey) Gilliam is probably one of my closest friends to this day.  We don't see each other often, we don't talk on the phone much but when we are around each other it's as if we see each other everyday.  I love to be around her especially when she is in that crazy Chanda mode...if you know her you know what I mean!

LeAnne (Pritchett) Fortner aka partner in crime (growing up).  I can't think of a road we didn't travel.  I am not sure why but her and I haven't really talked a lot in the past few years even when we have seen each other.  Here recently though we emailed a couple of times and then this weekend when we saw each other it was like old times again.  We laughed, did a little gossiping, remembered some crazy things, and laughed some more.  I can honestly say she was my best friend and probably knew me better than anyone and probably still does know me better than anyone.  That just goes to show what kind of bond we share and I hope it never breaks but only continues to grow.  And of course, she married another good friend...Shannon!  I absolutely loved Shannon growing up and I would like to say I had a small hand in them two getting together.  One word for Shannon...spanks!!!  Inside joke....

Like I said a bittersweet weekend....I love to see old friends and I hope that we make time to get together again soon...

Fun Friday....

So this was a good day...

Of course, any day that I don't have a work is typically a good day!

I took Wilkins, Lucas, and Addy to watch Toy Story 3 in 3D at noon which was an adventure in itself.  The adventure started with the guy at the concession counter spilling the BIG bag of popcorn when handing it to me.  I was trying to pay and keep all three kids herded together while also trying to get Wilkins to stop eating the popcorn off the floor!  Finally I just gave up...I mean what could it really hurt anyway.  How dirty could that floor possibly be?!  Then we get in the movie and get everyone settled down for the hour long previews only for Addy to tell me she needs to go potty.  So I told Lucas to sit still and not move while I took both girls to the bathroom.  I know I am terrible for leaving him sitting by himself but I just couldn't imagine gathering up all their cokes, 3D glasses, popcorn, etc... Just in case you were wondering he was still there when I got back!
Then 5 minutes after Toy Story 3 started, it stopped!  We were informed there were some technical difficulties...try explaining that to two 4 yr olds and keeping a 2 yr old occupied!  Lots of fun...  They got the movie going again and I really can't tell you a whole lot about it.  I mean what I saw I enjoyed but Wilkins drank way too much Sprite because she ended up going to the bathroom 3 times and Lucas had to go only once.  So I would say they did pretty good considering.  And yes everytime I took Wilkins to the bathroom I left Lucas and Addy sitting their by their selves.  And everytime I returned they were still there...THANK GOODNESS!  The kids really loved the movie and Wilkins has been carrying around Lucas' Woody doll since we got home.

About 15 minutes after we got home, Laura from Studio Z called and wanted to know if I could bring Wilkins up there to be a model for their new ice cream parlor set they built.  So I grabbed Wilkins, a couple of outfits for them to pick from and took off.  Wilkins did really good and even though she isn't getting paid to be their model, we scored a free picture!  Maybe she will do more modeling for them and save me some money when it comes to buying pictures...one can only hope! 

So all in all a pretty good day...I even got about an hour and a half nap today!!

Communication...

...is the key. 

Why is it so hard to communicate with some people?!  I say one thing, they hear another.  I say it again and they get defensive and feel like I am judging them.  I don't know what else to do.  I brought up the subject casually and they shut it down.  I said we have to talk about it and they refuse.  I don't raise my voice, yet they do and get upset. 

Why is it so hard to have a conversation with some people?!  They want me to pretend that this great big elephant in the room isn't there...but it is!!  This is not something that is going to go away...this is something that is just going to drive a wedge between us.  What else can I do?! 

If I sound judgemental, I don't mean to.  I am not trying to.  I just want answers.  I don't like not knowing about something that effects me, Wilkins, and our lives.  Is there really anything wrong with that?!  Keeping things a secret that shouldn't be will eventually blow up in your face.  Please...I am sick of this same old stuff.  I want to move on from it and never go back to it...  Unfortunately, we will never get past this if you continue to avoid the dreaded conversation, if you continue to hide things.

Communication is the key...

Toy Story Mania...

...yes you read it correctly!!  I have watched Toy Story and Toy Story 2 at least 4 times in the last two days!!  I think this is Wilkins' favorite movie right now!  "To infinity and beyond" is her new sentence too!!

I blame Lucas for this craziness!!  He has been obsessed with Toy Story for at least a year or more now and now his obsession is rubbing off on Wilkins!  YIKES!!  That's scary...

What's even more scary is I am taking Bryson, Will, Addy, Lucas, and Wilkins to see Toy Story 3 on Friday BY MYSELF!  I think I might be nuts and I am almost sure I will regret this but I am sure it will be fun.  We are also going to attempt Chucky Cheese...I will be surprised if I come back with any hair. 

Poor Logan is the only one not going but that is only because he is like having 3 kids and he is our only kid that will not sit still and watch a movie!  I am trying to talk his mean ol' momma into bringing him to Chucky Cheese so that he can at least have a little fun...HINT!  HINT!  Chucky Cheese is more his cup of tea anyway...you know running wild doing whatever he wants. 

Off subject...Wilkins had her 2 year old pictures made on Friday and did so good!  This is a bad thing because when she does good then it is really hard for me to pick out which ones I want.  Unfortunately, I do not have a money tree out back so I can't get them all which is what I would like to do.  She had three different outfits to change into and the pictures were outside in a rocking chair, a little swing, at a little rod iron table with a tea party set, and standing up in front of bench.  It is going to be very hard to just pick a couple out of all those because Steve at Studio Z was just showing me some as he was taking them and they were soooooo good!  Can't wait to see them...

One more thing off subject: A mile stone for us...potty training is going really good finally!  Wilkins has done really good considering the crazy hours that I work.  She hasn't wet her panties in almost two days and she has only pooped in her panties once.  She actually is telling us now when she needs to go pee but is still a little confused when it comes to pooping in the potty.  I have faith though that she will get it all figured out in a couple of days.

Well...you are pretty much up to date on my life except for one very important thing...I am about to go to Walmart with LeAnne!  I am gonna help her get organized tomorrow (on my day off), so we are gonna go get a few things in order to do so.  Yes I am the organized one (OCD some might say) but that's ok!!  Off to Walmart now...

Did ya miss me?!

It seems like forever since I have blogged and I wished there were some exciting stories to tell but there's not! 

Well, maybe one exciting thing...I will be starting school a week from today!!  It can't come soon enough as far as I am concerned.  I am ready to get the rest of my life heading in the right direction...

The last week, actually the last two weeks, have been absolutely kicking my butt!  I have had the most miserable schedule!  My days off have been split days off...I feel like I have gotten nothing accomplished. 

From Friday until Monday evening, I seen Wilkins a total of, maybe, 4-5hours.  I worked Fri and Sat 1-11pm, Sun 11am-10pm, and Mon and Tues 10am-8pm.  On Friday, mom, LeAnne, and Haley went to Trenton to church which meant they took Wilkins.  They left at 7am and didn't get home until 11pm b/c they also went to my grandaddy's uncle's wake.  Saturday her and I slept until about 10am then I went to work at 1.  Sunday mom took Wilkins to Flat Rock's revival, in which they stayed for Sunday night so they didn't get home until after 11 again.  Then on Monday I got Wilkins up and took her to LeAnne at 930am!!  So needless to say Wednesday Wilkins was up under my feet!!

She has been a walking attitude and I can't help but attribute that to the fact that she hasn't had any mommy time!!  As I sit her and type she just crawled up on the couch beside me, layed her head over on my shoulder, and kissed my arm!! 

I am really beginning to despise the hours I work and it's about to get worse!!  Starting in a month I am gonna be working mandatory 6 days...and no I am on salary so I get no overtime!  I can't imagine what it is going to be like working that many hours a week!  I really don't know that I want to be around for it either.

Please don't get me wrong...I am grateful that I have a job but I don't know that it is the right job for me at this point in our life.  If you think about it...mention me in your prayers that a more suitable job will come along with not to much of a pay cut.

I met a childhood crush of mine today...

...Mark Miller of the Sawyer Brown Band!!! 

I was completely giddy!!  I felt like I was in high school again...

I had to go by his table several times today before I decided for sure that it was him but I finally just went up to the table and asked.  In which he just smiled...he still has the little sole patch which I absolutely thought was HOT growing up.  To tell you the truth when he flashed that smile at me I still thought he was HOT!! 

I felt kind of old though because not to many of my employees knew who he was but I don't care!! 

I borrowed a dinner menu and asked him if he would sign it.  I told him that I was a huge fan of his growing up and even though I am 30 years old, meeting him and the band made me feel giddy!!  It was definitely the highlight of my day!!  Now I am sitting her with a menu with his autograph....

Could life get any better right now?! 

Yes, I guess it could...Wilkins could decide that she wasn't going to pee or poop in her panties again and then life would be GRAND!!! 

I will just enjoy my moment of meeting Mark Miller for now....