Imaginary*Conceptions

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!! Hope everyone enjoyed their Holiday Weekends!

I had a really good day here with the kids! I spent the whole day in the kitchen LOL which sounds bad to some of you but for me, that was Wonderful! I sure love cooking those big family dinners!! And if felt like Forever since my last one!
We usually spend the holidays with James family and his sister makes all the meals but since I decided to divorce him, I've changed all the rules. And I must say, everyone seems to have had a good time. Including James who was there and made good use of himself peeling apples for my homemade apple pie! :)
As a matter of fact, everyone pitched in and did something to help out this day! From peeling to cleaning to fetching pots or something from the refrigerator for me...it was a very good day! And the food must have been good cause only a couple days later and it's ALL GONE!! They have cleaned out Every left over there was!! :) Guess I'm a pretty good cook after all! ;)

Seems I've not been keeping up with my blogging either! Last week was a busy one!! The kids brought home their mid terms and are doing pretty well...not a surprise there! Yep, that's me, bragging on my kids again! LOL Smart little buggers, not that I can claim that credit, lol Lord knows I was Not the best student even as young as my little Sammie...sigh...we trouble makers had to get our start at a young age ya know ;) But I am learning from my own mistakes and making my little ones better than I was at least!



Both the girls had class plays that I attended and of course I had my trusty camera in tow! Sam Played a pilgrim girl in hers and Kate was a narrator in hers. Both kids did a Wonderful job and had a good time!
My poor kids aren't gonna have a second of their lives I haven't captured in pictures! LOL And I'm guessing they're gonna wish there were a few times that I hadn't captured the "moment"!! :)

I've been back to my sewing room...trying to prepare for Winter and the Christmas Holiday on Fast approach...I just don't think I'll ever be able to keep up with it all!! UGH!!

Until Next Thyme...

OMG!! I would Swear someone screwed with my calender and today was actually Friday the 13th!

Where do I even begin...last night I went to my friends house and she and I and a few others drank and drank and drank and...well you get the point...needless to say, this morning I woke up feeling like I was hit by a truck and the damn thing backed up to see what it hit! UGH...well, at least I didn't get sick...of course I might feel better if I had, Yuck, maybe not...

Naturally, today had to be the day for the return of the Orkin man...LOL! Sounds like the sequel to a bad movie. Oh well, he had to come out to do our follow up treatment to be sure we had rid ourselves of those pesky little flea critters...and of course, after they do their thing, you have to leave the home for a couple hours.
PERFECT! As if I don't Already feel like Crap! sigh...last night really was worth it though :) and Thankfully the kids are in school so James and I hop in the car for a couple hours worth of joy riding...Oh Joy.

First stop...food and drink. He's hungry and I'm thirsty! So, we kill a little time and sit in the parking lot of a fast food place having lunch and thinking of what to do next, and that's when we spot them...I'm not kidding or exaggerating or anything, there were at least 4 dozen or so motorcycles passing us by...

Now, normally this might not seem odd, but in November! And so Many!? Very Strange! And me being the Motorcycle lover that I am, naturally I'm curious...trying to figure out, maybe a last ride for the year? Heading home? James and I are tossing ideas and theories around and we've started driving by this time when we noticed a car pulled off to the side of the road and a police car off on the side as well...also not strange. And here we are just chattering away and then we notice several others pulled off to the side and then I make a comment about how strange it is that so many bikes made it through the light all at the same time and then James notices several vehicles with their flashers on following them and all of a sudden the pieces start to click in place...they're part of a funeral!
(yeah, yeah, I'm hung over and sick...remember? It takes the brain a bit longer...lol)

Well, James decides to go in the opposite direction as the funeral group so we head up an old back road that loops around our town, well, we figure we got the time to kill so might as well take a scenic route right?

Well, the drive is going along well and I'm just staring out the windows and we're just chatting away about anything and everything when we reach this stop sign some time later nearly a town over and guess what we see...? Oh yeah! It's the funeral people! You have Got to be kidding me!! The went up the highway and turned on some road somewhere that brought them directly along our cross road. What are the chances?
Well, Me being me, I look at James and said we should follow along and see where they go? Because 1. It wasn't like we were really doing anything else and 2. Neither of us could think of where the cemetery might be out where we were. So, we waited till after all the vehicles with flashing lights and everything that looked like it belonged to the procession passed and then we jumped in behind...well, lets start with...WE WERE WRONG, we didn't find the end! And Whom ever had passed away, Was Very Well Loved!

So, here we are...driving along, WITH the funeral procession along narrow little roads and we come to a turn that has a police man directing traffic for this Very Large funeral which we have now become a part of so we turn and then realize we have Arrived at the cemetery. Now, it sits on a road that under normal circumstances you can drive past but for some reason, more police officers have the exit blocked off so that you Have to pull into the cemetery itself! UGH!! Now What???

James is near panicked at this time and is looking to me for answers. Luckily, I'm quick on my feet and work best under pressure. So I tell him, we'll simply pull in and visit another site...we don't Have to be here for This funeral...so we pull in and now there's a man in the parking lot holding a small flag trying to direct us as to where to park and using his little flag to wave us on...Oh crap! LOL

This is a damn Comedy! I swear! I'm laughing at this point...I can't even believe this is happening...James is red faced and not even sure what to do at this point so I'm telling him, just drive past the guy and pull around to the other side of the cemetery and we'll go find a long lost relative to visit...lol (surely you see the humor in our predicament...)

Well, he pulls around and no one really pays us too much attention at that point but with all the folks coming in we're sort of stuck now so we actually Have to drive and "site see" in the cemetery! OMG! We end up spotting a plot where the flowers seem to have blown out of their holder so I make James stop at that one and we get out and fix their flowers for them and realize it's a plot for 3, two brothers and a sister whom all lived to be nearly 100!! WOW! I couldn't even imagine such a full life and to spend it with my closest loved ones as these three seem to have done!!
Then we proceeded to check out some of the other head stones and were reading names and dates and there was one in particular that caught our eye! Now I'm not making fun of the deceased here so please don't take this wrong, but really? If I'd gone to school with a name that the kids could have pronounced as "F'N Ford" that taunting would have NEVER ended!

Once the funeral ended we were finally able to leave and head back home...on the way we spotted 2 cars just randomly left on the road, not even Off the road but sort like someone broke down and pulled over but not completely off...does that make sense? Anyway, it appeared they had a ticket in the window yet as we got closer it turned out they each had those bright orange hunting caps! 2 cars in 2 completely separate locations no where near each other doing the same exact thing!! And who does that??!!

So, as we get closer to the house, we see that there are like 5 sheriffs on the highway cleaning up an accident. Oh no! I sure hope no one was hurt but to have that many police there and the one vehicle we saw was being loaded on a flat bed, I can't imagine it was good, especially since we live right off a highway and all...I guess we'll read about it in the paper in a day or so...

Anyway, we get to the house just as the kids bus is getting home and I tell James, I want to go back and get a picture for my blog of the cars on the side of the road with the orange hats. So, the kids jump in the car and we drive back to the site. Now, it's just up the road and it's only been like 15-20 minutes since we were there last...but I'll be Damned if they weren't gone! And in that short amount of time, well, less even, so was the accident scene on the highway we had just passed several minutes prior!

We're just Cracking Up now...making jokes and saying it was our imagination and how we Must have dreamt the whole thing up! LOL! I mean after the funeral thing, who knows? Of course, that's when we drive past a sign that reads Wedding Party!! LOL Oh What Luck! James looks over at me with a smile on his face and says "How about tomorrow we look for a baby shower to crash?"

I've been busy in my sewing room,not sure if it's to keep my mind of whats going on in my life or because all these holidays are getting so close and my kids went to the store and want EVERYTHING!! LOL
I'm trying to keep up with orders and I finally managed to finish something for eBay as well! Yeah! I'll be listing her this evening on a 5 day auction and we'll see what happens.

Life is kicking my Ass! I'm trying to get my life in order, things in perspective, and James is making it so hard for me...he pleads his case to me as to why I should reconsider my position on this divorce and then in the next breath he does the one thing guaranteed to hurt me most or cause the most damage to me, he's using the kids as a reason to stay together and often blames me for so much and then when I just look at him he realizes what he's saying and catches himself...and our most recent of events...well, I won't be forgiving him that one and he knows it.

I have to get out of here...I finally realize, living in this house is the worst thing for me. Now I just have to figure out HOW...I'll hate having to get an attorney and do this thing the harder way but it's looking more and more like that may be the only way for us to get this done...

Brighter News...LOL

Quentin is coming home today! I've missed him so much!! Can't wait to hear all about his adventures in Arizona! His dad dropped off his things this morning and he went off to school so I'll see him after...

The Orkin man comes again tomorrow for our follow up treatment to finish off whatever is left of those pesky little fleas we had! lol I'm so Happy to have that Fiasco behind us! And to finally be able to walk throughout the house without being sought after as a food source is such a Wonderful thing! :) As much as I Love cats, I'm afraid even I won't be able to test those water again. Sadly that was one lesson I only needed to learn once. Maybe in the future when they come out with some really Awesome realistic robotic cat...lol

It's funny, I thought I had some other news to post here...but a bad phone call, a couple akward meetings and Many misunderstandings over text messages, and here I am...fumbling around trying to make sense of it...I guess I let my mouth get ahead of my brain sometimes but it might be the best thing I could have done for the man...I'm sure he's better off to be far away from the drama of my life...

I'm not giving up on finding someone for me though. There Has to be someone out there who can handle me AND my mouth getting in my way! LOL Of course he also has to be able to handle the drama of my life, which I hope to have handled by the New Year...fingers crossed and all that. I mean, I'm not all That bad, right? I think it's time to find one of those wishing wells...and a star, and maybe a church to say a prayer...and a little luck might not hurt either, anyone know where I can find a four leaf clover?

Well, I guess I need to go take advantage of the rest of this afternoon...I have the house to myself and a Whole Lot of cleaning that needs to take place before tonight! Oh, what happens tonight you ask? Oh, that would be me, a blender, and bottle of rum! Well, it has been a tough week already!! LOL

I can't believe how fast the holidays are approaching!! And here I am Barely getting accomplished what I need to be getting done! UGH!!
My sewing seems to be taking a back seat to my life and that is just gonna have to change I think...

Lot's of new changes have been taking place here lately...

I went through a phase of being a klutz, including having my finger slammed in a drawer and nearly broken, my leg ramming the side of the desk during the moving of my furniture in my new room and causing some wonderful bruising there and my face getting slammed into the front door and causing some lovely colors to explode across my cheek and eye but I know James feels like complete shit over that and on the brighter side, my injuries are all mostly healed now and no harm done...

My divorce papers are closer to being done...James is doing his section now. Hopefully we can get them filed by the holidays and get this all put behind us. We're trying to be as amicable as possible. Not really fighting or anything and the little ones don't know much about what's going on, just that mom and dad don't share a room or much of anything else anymore besides some TV time and football on the weekends, lol!
He's still suggesting we try to live in the same house when this is all said and done for the sake of the kids and I just live down in my room and he live up in his...I've thought about it but I just don't see how that could work...We're in different places...I'm ready to date and move on and well, he's...I don't know where he is.

On the lighter side...I had a couple projects with my little ones...

Sam had a picture of turkey and we had to disguise the little guy so he wouldn't get gobbled up at Thanksgiving! lol She wanted to make him a Cat!! So, we gave him fur and quilted ears and belly and a pipe cleaner tail and viola! He was a cat!! lol

The Katie had a project last night on the planet Uranus. She needed to make a poster and write up some facts to teach the class about it and I think she did a Wonderful job!! The class is going to be excited to learn all she has to tell them!! :)

Quentin is off in Arizona this weekend visiting his grand pa. He'll be back on Tuesday. I miss him but he calls me every other day to fill me in on his adventures. Can't wait for him to get back home where he belongs!!

Well folks, I better get busy here...looks like another long Sunday, so Until Next Thyme...

What a Night!! The kids had a Blast and James and I had a good time with them too!

We finally managed to get the rest of our decorations done! LOL!! Just like I always say, "why do today what you can put off till tomorrow!" Well, that's clearly the case here, but it's finished now and they sure did turn out looking pretty darn good I thought! I got some more pictures of everything now that it's all working and lit up and all...have I ever mentioned how Halloween is my Favorite Holiday!!??

Well, trick or treat started from 6pm till 8pm out here. Quentin stayed home to pass out candy, so we took the girls all over town here! Seems like we walked Forever! Definitely got my exercise tonight! lol I was glad it wasn't raining like they had said it might but Boy was it chilly out!! Of course I'm Always cold and that's just me but really, even in my jacket I was freezing!! Poor little ones, they was shaking all over, but they were so excited they kept right on trucking to the next house! lol Guess the promise of more candy was enough to keep them going!

We saw this one house that had a whole fun house set up through their garage and it was So neat! The kids went in and they really liked it! So many houses had such neat decorations and lots of them had bonfires or fire pits set up to help with the chill of the night! It was just a neat evening all around. After the couple hours were up, we drove off to yet another small area to let the kids do a little more trick or treating but they were so worn out they said they didn't want to!! LOL

Before we had left I had managed to slam my finger in a drawer in such a way that it caused a rather Loud crunching noise...luckily for me it went numb almost right away however, on the bad side it also turned several different colors and swelled and did a rather odd twisty thing so that it took on an odd curved look. Kinda nasty to look at...UGH!
Well, I decided after having bumped it several times and having it grabbed and trying to shove it in my pockets and causing myself Great amounts of pain over it throughout the evening, it was time to have it taken care of, at the very least, have it set because now I realized, it is Very broken...sigh...Well, for the next few weeks, I have this big metal brace thingy on my pinkie finger. Worst of all, it's my left hand!!! Double UGH!!! I'm left handed!!! What a pain in the Ass!!!

This week had been pretty good up to now...the girls and I baked cookies for their class parties on Friday. They had such a good time and everybody love them! We found a picture in a magazine I had here and they were so cute we couldn't resist! So, here's what we made...What do ya think? LOL Cute HUH!!

Well, today is Football Sunday!! Gotta Love Football Weekends! I think I'm gonna hit the showers and then try and get some work done in my sewing room while I catch some of the games on my TV!
Hope everyone had a Super Halloween Weekend!!

James' boss now has my cat Merlin...it's sad for me, but with everything going on I suppose it's best. He wasn't getting the Love and Affection he deserved here right now and James had gone on a campaign of shutting him out since we found out he had somehow gotten fleas.
Every door in the house was being shut on him so that he wasn't allowed to be anywhere in the house anymore and I know the poor little guy just didn't understand. We were treating him for them but by the time we realized our indoor cat had them, he and our home was infested! UGH!
Well, I'm Excited to report, Merlin is Thrilled in his new home and his new owners are Thrilled with their new fur baby!! And the best part is, he lives right here in town and we get to visit whenever we want which makes me and the kids happy too!!

Now, no more sadness for a while huh?

James and I were watching a show the other night and I kept hearing this noise...I'd look over and nothing was there so I'd go back to watching TV and then a few minutes later I'd hear it again...finally I told James and I said I'd swear I thought it was my Merlin except since he was gone that Obviously wasn't the case...
Suddenly I burst out laughing and said... "It's the fleas! They're coming for us James!! They're pissed and they want their cat back!!" LOL He and I were laughing so hard!

Well, I won't be laughing as I'm de-fleaing my house I can tell you that much! But, life goes on and I can find humor in just about Anything! And it's just about time I start looking for more of that in my life...

A friend of mine sent me a FWD the other night and it made me laugh, hope you enjoy it as well...

A Kansas farm wife called the local phone company to report her telephone failed to ring when her friends called, and that on the few occasions when it did ring, her dog always moaned right before the phone rang.
The telephone repairman proceeded to the scene, curious to see this psychic dog or senile lady.
He climbed a telephone pole, hooked in his test set, and dialed the subscriber's house.
The phone didn't ring right away, but then the dog moaned and the telephone began to ring...
Climbing down from the pole, the telephone repairman found:
1. The dog was tied to the telephone system's ground wire with a steel chain and collar.
2. The wire connection to the ground rod was loose.
3. The dog was receiving 90 volts of signalling current when the number was called.
4. After a couple of jolts, the dog would start moaning and then urinate.
5. The wet ground would complete the circuit, thus causing the phone to ring.

*Which demonstrates that some problems CAN be fixed by pissing and moaning...
Thought you'd like to know.

Well, I'm off to work in my sewing room...I plan to stay busy the rest of this week and hopefully have lots of new items by this weekend to show off, but I'll be posting here more regularly, so until then...

Well, it Is raining, and I do Love the rain, but the rest of the day sure has been depressing...I'm listening to my blog music and just typing away and my goodness it never occurred to me how very depressing some of it really is! I may have to go make a new play list! This is really not helping my mood any, LOL!

A couple of days ago I was online chatting with a friend of mine and was asked if I was one of those gals who has to be in a relationship...I had never thought about it before, I mean I've been married for 9 years and thought I'd be married for the rest of my life to James. It never occurred to me I'd be going through a divorce...
Well, having the question posed to me, my immediate response was NO...I mean before James, I was Very Independent. Hell, in the beginning of this marriage, I was Very Independent! LOL! And, I've had many years of being on my own and have done quite well, even being a single parent with my older two children for a time...

Anyway, this question has been bothering me...I've been thinking about it non stop for days now...could it be? Have I become one of those people? I mean although I have come to terms with the whole divorce, I have already been playing with the thoughts of moving on...is it because I'm one of those women who have to have someone in their lives?

I'm a logical thinker...most of the time, lol...I don't believe I'm the kind of person who Has to have someone in my life to feel whole or complete. Hell NO! I am whole and complete all by myself, well, me and my kids of course!
I've come to realize that since this divorce has been brewing under the surface for so long, that my need to find someone else to fill the void in my life has also been brewing there as well, the difference is I would never act on it as a married woman and therefore never even realized it. I just kept seeking what was missing in my life from my husband and when he kept neglecting me it made the storm toward our divorce rage even more...

Well, this is what I believe anyway after Much thought and So, my answer to the question is Still NO, I am Not one of those women who Has to have someone in her life, However, I am one of those women who Wants to have someone in her life because even though I am not Yet divorced, I have been Alone for a Very Long Time and I Am Very Tired of It!!!!

Now, my Dear Friend J, the next time you have some Fabulously Deep question you would like to ask me, BITE YOUR TONGUE!!! I have lost Enough Sleep Thinking this one over!!! LOL!!!

Now, I'm off to unwind in Yoville on Face Book for a bit and then it's time to unpack the rest of my bedroom here while I try to catch something on TV...speaking of, is anyone else excited about that new series of "V" starting in November?!! Well, I AM!!! I Loved that show years ago!!! Can't Wait for it to start!!

So, the decisions have been made. The divorce is going ahead full force. I've been moving my things downstairs to the spare room and it makes sense since James' office is upstairs and my sewing room is downstairs.
Feels weird though. Like I'm living in this dream world watching someone else's life unfold...I keep thinking, surely this can't be happening? I'm going to wake up any minute and this will have all been a bad dream, right? Some days I cry so hard I don't think I'll be able to stop...and others, I look around and just know this is how it's supposed to be. It sucks, but I just can't go on like this anymore. And James shouldn't either. We should be happy. And this isn't happy, comfortable, yes. But not happy. So, here I am, painting my new space! I think the paint fumes have finally gotten to me cause the next step was to add a glow in the dark star constellation! LOL!!
Hey now! I actually kinda like it! Funky, weird but adds character! ;)

Anyway, these past few weeks have been going by and nothing seems to be going the way I had planned. I swear, I don't think I can handle one more bad thing right now. Surely, something good should happen to me. Don't I deserve at least one good thing? Even something small? It feels like life is trying to overwhelm me in heartbreak and disappointment and I could really use a break to just relax and have a few days of freedom to just have a good time and unwind. Maybe figure out what I'm supposed to do next...besides, brush my hair and maybe slap a little make up on, lol...

I can't believe Halloween is almost here! My favorite time of year! I need to get the kids costumes all ready. Kate's is good to go but Sam is going to need a few adjustments...we'll have her all set in no time though. Can't wait to get pictures of them!! They're gonna be so Cute!!

Darn it!! I have to get these pumpkins carved!! My goodness, time sure is getting away from me...OK, I'll slap on some hair color, Gotta wash some of my red out (UCK, always hated having that auburn red hair!) and I'll carve some pumpkins, while I watch football!!

Football weekend again!!! I'm only 1 game out of 1st place in the standings!! HA HA!! Oh Yes, I am that good!! LOL I Love me some football!! I'm a JETS/GIANTS Fan myself and of course I root for Farve! But I follow all the teams and all the players and coaches and headlines and I love debating whats gonna happen!! James and I can talk sports for hours on end! No matter what happens, we'll always have that!! :) Speaking of which, UGH! Better get my picks in before kick off!!

Until next time...

Those of you who have written and requested an update...I heard ya! This may not be what ya had in mind but this is what has been happening in my life so, here' goes...

I think my marriage is over. I know, sounds crazy doesn't it? Believe me, no one is more surprised than me. One day, we're hanging Halloween decorations outside and I'm thinking everything is just fine and the next, I'm asking my husband of 9 years for a divorce.

But what's the saying? Hind sight and all that...looking at things now I realize, this has been coming for a long time. James and I don't fight. Almost never. We just don't talk about anything. If something happens in our marriage, I get hurt, I get mad, I beg him to talk to me about it or do something about it and when I realize it's not gonna happen I have 2 choices. Live with it or leave.
Uh Oh, here comes another of those old cliches...Love is blind...I Love him. Still do. Always will no matter what. So, I decided whatever the problem, I'd deal with it myself cause he was worth it.

I've gotten over his cheating, his not supporting me, especially where his family was concerned, not sticking up for me and being the husband I deserve. His shutting me out when we should have been working things out...I've given him complete control of my life to the point I'm not sure what I'm going to do when this over. I'm scared to death...

But don't get me wrong...I'm no angel in this. Oh no, he went through my "wonder years"! lol Poor James, he had to deal with me in my earlier years. Luckily for him I finally got things under control and I have to say he had a lot to do with that. He dealt with me when I smoked, when I swore like a sailor (still do sometimes), when the smallest thing set me off and I couldn't control myself to the point that I would pick fights with strangers on the street. I was moody, a Horrible house keeper, hated the world, and I was (sort of still am lol) a sex-a-holic and nagged him to death over it, to the point I think I just turned him off to sex completely. He dealt with me when I drank. Of course, he was the one who would buy the liquor since he had control of the funds (silly man) but I would get smashed and then tell him every little thing on my mind and it usually didn't bode well for him. And unfortunately, I didn't seem to care who was around when I shared my wealth of insight. And losing ones inhibitions does not come close to what happens to me when I get drunk! Luckily, I do not drink anymore, As a matter of fact, I have not had a drink for close to a year now. Anyway, his family hated me and some still do, which is what brought all this divorce up for us in the first place but that's neither here nor there.

James doesn't want a divorce. Part of me doesn't either. I go back and forth on it. We are best friends I think. We laugh at the same jokes and love the same movies and the other night we were in the store and he just looked in a direction, said my name and when I looked we both busted up laughing, I just knew what he was saying without any words and we both just got the joke. But is that because we should be together or because we've been together for 9 years and anyone in that amount of time can do that?
We do Love our football weekends though! I can't wait till Sunday! Football All day!! And then we'll talk for Hours about all the games and everything...but we just get sports that way...if we could talk about us like that maybe we wouldn't be here, now...

The part of me that does want out, is the part that knows I deserve better than I've gotten. The part of me that is tired of hearing him say, I'm sorry, please give me a chance to change or work on it and then another year ticks by and here I am with the same man and not a single change and me asking for the same exact things, again, and feeling guilty for it or as if I've asked too much that he just treat me like his wife and not his best friend.
Or that he put my feelings above those of his family's, or that he at least take them into consideration. Or that he talk to me...

I'm seeing a counselor. I've talked to him about everything. He suggested James come into one of our sessions and give his point of view since our last session was over me divorcing him...I asked James and he doesn't want to.
That's fine, now I don't want him to either. But you know what? If I wanted to save my marriage the way he professes to, and the roles were reversed and he asked me to go, I'd have jumped at the chance to do it. Anything if I truly wanted to save my marriage.
I feel like James knows how to manipulate me and in my counselors office, it wouldn't happen so he can't take that chance. He knows how to make me feel guilty, just like he knows how to make me laugh at a joke without words.
When I stop and think about it...
it's things like that that make me feel more resolved to file the papers and move on...he says we'll be friends after it's over...I wonder...


Well, today we're gonna finish up those Halloween decorations and it seems James wants to do some talking...he always proof reads my blog entries before they go live ya know, one thing to hear the words, another to see them in writing I think.
Anyway, Lot's to do here, hope ya like the pics I posted! The pumpkin patch was last weekend, and of course the decorations are still on going, lol! I'll be giving another update when we get things finished here and hopefully a more Cheerful post without all the drama of life folded into it!

Until then...

I tell you...every time I turn around my patience gets tried and I just don't know what to do...sometimes I wish I was more religious and had more faith, but I'm hoping deep breathing and finding my inner calm will help me instead...

Anyone remember that show Bewitched? Remember the nosy woman who had nothing better to do than to try to cause trouble and stick her nose into everyone else's business...Gladys Cravitz...Seems we all have a Gladys in our lives and mine just reared her ugly head only she does it anonymously...or maybe I should say, they? Funny thing is, it appears, Gladys isn't even fighting her own battles...hmmm, she seems to be fighting for someone else? Odd. I wonder who? I would think if someone had a bone to pick they might prefer to pick it themselves...I know I would!

Tisk, Tisk, I've always hated cowards...fights should be fought fairly I always say, where everyone gets their chance to speak their peace and defend themselves...but with Halloween fast approaching I suppose these Witch trials do have their place! LOL

Oh well, I'm too old for games and I never much liked hide and seek, don't have the patience for it I guess, fighting ghosts and all...so, On with the show!

It's Sunday Night Football Again!! I'm leading the standings in our football picks! Well, I was until this week, I sure hope my teams are still winning...Arizona better win tonight!! Not my favorite team but I need them to come through for me!

My brothers and sisters in law are at the Steelers game today, Lucky Dogs!! I'm So Jealous!! I bet it's A Whole Nother World in Person!! I really Love Football!!

We had to run out to the store a few days ago and I took my camera with me cause, well, cause I always do. You never know when you're going to see something really cool! Anyway, we pulled into the parking lot and sure enough, the moon was just Gorgeous! And I had a perfect shot of it! I made James stop for me so I could get out and try to get a few shots off...Now, I have a really nice camera for what I use it for, unfortunately, it has like a dozen settings I don't know how to use, a manual that looks like an encyclopedia and no one anywhere near me that can teach me how to use it. I Love my camera but I So Wish I could use it because what I saw through my lens is nowhere Near what I captured in the images. And the images look cool but what I saw was Spectacular! I just know I could have captured something beautiful if I could figure this camera out! This slide show is of several of the pics I took while I was watching the clouds pass in front of the moon that night...

I did realize that my true passion lies behind this camera...I've always known but it really hit me that I'm so happy when I'm taking pictures. Happier than when I'm doing anything else...I wish I could make a living doing this, unfortunately, I think my path has already been set and my camera is destined to only be a hobby that since I can't figure it out, will forever frustrate me instead...lol another of my life's little irony's!

My funny girl Sam...she likes to draw and was sitting at the table drawing pictures. She looks at her dad and says, What do you want me to draw for you? He thinks about it a minute and says, how about a chicken? She says, I can't draw a chicken! He says sure you can! She sits there and stares and the paper a few minutes and then like a light bulb went on or something her whole face lights and she starts drawing!

Well, you'll never guess...after a couple minutes, she hands me this little slip of paper and says, here, this is my Favorite kind of chicken! We were laughing So hard! I had to frame the little paper and what better frame than the little Noah's Ark one here?

I finished a witch for eBay last week, she's relisted now...I think Halloween is slowing to make way for Christmas. I'll never get used to how quickly the seasons change on there!
My husband is helping me work on a web site. Between his code writing and my graphics knowledge it should be a piece of cake!
I'm preparing to do away with all my eBay and other sales like that and just going it alone I think. I've been talking about it for years and finally all the pieces are just falling into my lap. I guess the time is now...

I suppose that's all from me for now, but I want to leave you with this funny thought that a friend of mine wrote on her FB page awhile back that had me laughing so hard...

If a man is standing in the middle of the forest speaking and there is no woman around to hear him...is he still wrong?

Thanks Karin for your wonderful humor to brighten my day!

I Love Weekends! Especially since Football has started!

It seems my husband and I have talked more since football season has started than we have all year! And of course I could solve all of the leagues problems in an afternoon because I'm So logical and unbiased! lol
James has football picks he does for friends and family (with money involved of course!) and I get roped in every year...sigh...I kick and scream and then I can't help myself but to play. Then I bitch about my teams all week of course, Oh the dreadful cycle ~ LOL!

Went to the store a couple weeks back to pick up a few things and saw this magazine on the rack at the check out...naturally it caught my attention, so I start leafing through it and talking to James. I didn't realize my voice was carrying in this "mostly" deserted store (as I didn't notice the man who walked in and got in line behind us and was now listening to me discuss sex with my husband!)
Anyway, I decide to get the magazine to see what is so exciting about #43 (see cover article) and when I turn around I see this man (about my age) staring at me with a Huge smile on his face! OMG! I was so embarrassed, but I just smiled and shrugged and gathered my things to leave...what else could I do?

And for the record, #43 wasn't all that great, there were some other Much more Interesting ones!! Sorry James ~ But Someone has to share the embarrassing moments with me... ;-)

Everyone has a junk drawer right? Well, mine happens to be a utensil drawer...I know, sad...and not just any utensil drawer, I happen to use and need this one every day! It's my "Where's Waldo" drawer...Can you find Waldo?
**You know it's a bad day when you find Waldo before you find the spatula for the meal your preparing...Anyone know a good home organizer who works cheap?


My kids are all doing a Wonderful job in school! They just brought home their mid terms and I'm just thrilled! What smart kids I have! I might be a bit biased...nah!
See for yourselves, here's their midterms, well, the girls mid terms anyway...seems Quentin took his back to school already before I could get it scanned in, oh well, he did have all A's and B's as usual but here's the girls midterms!
Just click to make them bigger and see what I mean...


Ms. Katie even decided to run for her class office! She's such a go getter! She wrote a speech and everything! When she got home she said, you'll never guess but this other girl just went up in front of everyone and said "If you vote for me Thanks and if you don't that's fine" she looks at us and lets out a deep sigh and says, that's not even a real speech! LOL My little Future President!

So, I've been working on some special orders lately...one in particular has come to be my favorite! I've named him Damon and I think he turned out just Perfect! As a matter of fact I think I'm going to make him a brother to sell on eBay for Halloween! I'm also working on a few other neat Halloween treats to share with y'all, so Until Next Thyme!

Yep, James got a new car...and the horn is Really throwing him off!! LOL

We went to the store this afternoon to get something to drink. On the way back, there's this road that sits on an incline, and for some reason he likes to hold the steering wheel in a manner where his arm is draped across the front of it. Well, there's a big truck in front of us that hadn't even come to a complete stop at the stop sign yet and suddenly, James is honking his horn at them! He didn't even realize it! lol He's looking out his window wondering who's doing it when he honks again and realizes it's him! Suddenly, his face turns red and he hollers "Hurry Up, will Ya!" to the people in the truck! LOL I'm laughing so hard I think I might wet myself!

Poor James is sitting there looking at me and he says "You know, one of these days I'm gonna do that to someone with a nasty disposition and they're gonna come back here and kick my ass..." I just bust up laughing all over again!

You see the last car he had, had these two little buttons on the steering wheel that you hit to blow the horn, and this car the whole steering wheel Is the horn. I Hated the other one! I'm one of those people that when someone does something stupid I blow my horn at them, where as James NEVER uses his horn, Ever! I don't know how many times we'd be driving down the road and someone would swerve in our lane or something stupid and James would just drive Merrily along and I'd be swinging my hand over beating at the stupid buttons on his steering wheel trying to blow the horn on his behalf, swearing and being all pissed off and he'd just push my arm away and tell me to calm down and let him drive...I'm the Worst sort of backseat driver, lol.

I got some things done today I needed to do and played on the computer more than I should have...shame on me, lol! I tell ya what, I opened up one of those Face Book accounts and it's Official, I'm Addicted! Some one asked me, how so? What can you even do there?
OMG! Every time I go there I find new things to do! I play games, chat with friends, make new friends, check out sites and artwork...there's a particular artist I'm loving right now, his work is Amazing! It just draws me in and I find myself lost in another world...Check out his web site here and see what I mean, JAMES ALLEN just click on the pictures...or you can check him out on Face Book

We're getting a lot of rain right now which is Fabulous! Never too much for me. Even my girls even like the rain, for them, it's like playing in the sprinklers.
They went out and rode big wheels and jumped on the trampoline...to be a child again and see the world for the wondrous place it is...

And don't forget to head over to the TDIPT Blog and cast your vote for the Funniest Pet Contest my TDIPT Group has going on right now!

Let me tell ya a little bit about my brother in law Brian...

He's the best guy you'll ever meet. A big guy with a quick smile for everyone and a helping hand for anyone. He'd give the shirt off his back to a stranger without a second thought and I've never heard a person say an unkind word about him or met a person who didn't like him. He's smart and has an acquired sense of humor that cracks me up.

He's 42, lives in California, married to my husbands sister with two great kids. He's close to his family and get this, he is so beloved in his community and by his fellow workers that the whole town got together and threw an auction to raise money to help fund his cancer treatments and medical care. They managed to raise over $100,000 for him!!

I don't know about you, but I'm pretty sure my town would send a card or two and maybe say a prayer but there wouldn't be any auctions for me, lovable as I am...

That's right, Brian was diagnosed about a year ago with Kidney cancer. Even after the kidney was removed, it spread pretty quickly to his lungs and he had many lesions on both lungs. His prognosis was bad. The Dr's gave him a 5% chance of success to beat it but they put him on an aggressive therapy. I know Brian, and if anyone could beat it, it was him. I've never met a man who wants to live more than our Brian does.
He had a really hard time at first. Well, he had a really hard time the whole way through his treatments, and I was blogging away and in my groups asking for prayers from every one I could. I prayed for him too. I always felt a little guilty doing it, knowing my faith was so shaky and wondering if God would even listen to someone like me who questions him so often. But I prayed anyway.

Well, whether he heard me or just all of you or maybe it was just Brian's drive and determination to live and fight and good medicine, I'll never know for sure but we received word that he is Cancer FREE today!! His lesions are gone! He's in complete remission.

And now I sit here and have to wonder, more of my questions...did God hear the prayers? Or was it something else entirely? Maybe just Brian's strength...?
This is why I waiver in my faith, do I believe? do I not? So many questions, I think I'm on a precipice and could go either way at this moment with the slightest of nudges....I'm just Thankful that Brian is better, because if nothing else, that world is better with people like him in it.


My doll sold! Yeah! I've been working on a couple others. For eBay and for a couple swaps I'm in. My poor swap partners, making them wait till the last possible seconds...tick, tock...I won't be late and I promise to make the wait worth while if that helps dear swappers.

I have a couple special orders as well, including this one...

I received a note through eBay from a gal wanting me to make another Squash pumpkin doll. She said she Love the pumpkin but really hated the doll with him. LOL Normally I don't do repeats on one of a kind dolls but her note really set me back. At first my reaction was to think, "the nerve of some people!" but then I couldn't help but laugh and think "I like this gal!"
If I met someone in person who had the nerve to say to me you make ugly dolls but I love that pumpkin with them, could I buy just him? I'd crack up, sell the pumpkin and make a new friend, just for her frankness and honesty. So what else could I say but, of course I'll make you another one!

I hope there are more people out there like her too, not afraid to speak their minds and say what they really think and ask for what they want. I mean, what's the worst that could happen? I could have said "NO" I suppose. Instead, she got to be true to herself and I got a good chuckle, some weekend work and an honest customer.

I joined Facebook this past week. It's Amazing! I've made so many new friends! I have friends from school, some family members and so many of my artist friends on there! I'm listed as Linda Ford Schlesener in case anyone wants to find me. I just Love it! I go on every day now! But don't try to get me to do that farming game thing though! You know who you are...I'm NOT doing it!! LOL

James and I went out for dinner with his friend from work and his wife last Friday. We had such a great time! I was nervous at first but everything went so well I don't think any of us wanted the evening to end. I'm sure we'll be making plans to have more get togethers soon. Maybe a BBQ at our house next...?
I told James, the weirdest part of the whole evening was knowing that our usual babysitter is my ex husband. It still feels odd to me knowing that he lives nearby and takes care of our kids for us when we want to go out. My girls just love him and they have a blast going over there. And I know he likes having them over but still...I guess I'm the only one who sees the wrinkle in this page of my life...what's that saying about a gift horse? Or maybe I should just be glad I'm not my friend Peanut who was recently shit on by the the birds...has that turned lucky for ya yet Peanut? lol

Before I go, Happy Birthday JoAnn!! (she's my Sister in Law) Hope you're enjoying that new iPod Touch!! Aren't they the best? You'll come to realize soon enough, you can't live without it! And Congratulations Shane on graduating from Air Force boot camp and Good Luck in your training! Everyone's So Proud of you!

Until Next Thyme...

I made up a new Halloween set the other night. She turned out quite interesting I think. I have them listed on eBay now if you care to have a peek. And I might just mention they are my first auction with a new eBay selling group I was recently invited to join, AHQU (Artistic Halloween Queens Unite) ~ I've never been a Queen before! lol

A friend of mine sold me a bunch of wool she bought from Ann over at Crowing About Primitives. I've never had the privilege of using Ann's wool before and I must say it was a real treat to work with. I've definitely found a new wool source! If ya have a sec, click on the link above and it'll take you right over to her blog so you can check out the great wool sale she has coming up! Of course, I have another link further down the page on my side bar too! Can ya tell I'm a Huge fan? LOL

I know they say the Lord works in mysterious ways, and everything happens for a reason, but really, was one family picture after 9 years too much to ask?

So, our church invited Olan Mills in to take the members photos for our church directory. As a special bonus, Olan Mills offered each family a FREE 8 x 10 portrait with no catch to buy anything. YEAH!

We have Never had a family picture. I know, how awful is that? Something happens every time we've ever tried to have one taken. No joke!
One year, we were literally heading out the door on our way to the place for the pictures when Sammie falls in the hallway, on her face, on hardwood floors...you see where this is going...yep, black eye. It was swelling even before I could get to her to pick her up, so no pictures for us.
There are other stories just like that one, but for now, lets get back to this one...

We were ready to go, dressed, make up perfect, kids adorable, hairs brushed, as a matter of fact, I was so afraid I'd be a mess by the time it was our turn I used enough hair spray in my hair to bring back memories of the 80's.
So, into the car we go for our 40 minute drive to the church. Of course the photographer is running behind. I don't mind, what can you do?

Just over an hour later it was our turn...

I'll start by saying I Used to think Olan Mills was the best of the best in photography studios. I mean, who else can charge like $100 a picture and still get people to come, right? Well, no more. I wouldn't let them take my picture for free. As a matter of fact, if they offered me money for my picture I'd have to turn them down.
The lady they sent out to take our pictures was a complete riot! She had me cracking up from the moment we stepped into her area! If she was a stand up comedian, I'd pay to see her. But she was the worst photographer I've ever seen. I'm not kidding. I have a drivers licence with a better picture on it and that's saying something.

Now, before we began we looked in mirrors and fixed ourselves and whatnot and then she had us all arranged in a crazy formation. I was behind James, and she came up to me and plucked at my hair saying I had some strays that I wouldn't like in the shot. OK, thanks. Then she proceeds to tell us jokes and has us cracking up where I almost have tears in my eyes and at one time I am actually bending over to laugh. This is not a picture perfect moment, but here she is just snapping away.

As we get to the kids, I swear I'm standing there and I thought I was gonna wet myself if I didn't stop laughing. She has my son standing behind my 2 little girls and of course he's Much taller than they are so she's telling him to get lower by spreading his legs. I guess he didn't get it because he puts his legs together and starts to bend. She says "NO, like this" and she proceeds to spread her legs in a Y formation so that her body is now lower to the ground.
Now, the girls are between her and my son, and he is looking at her face very intently...and he very slowly begins to bend his knees and get lower.
Her look was priceless when she looked at him like he was from another planet and she spoke more slowly and said, "No, Like This..." and she proceeds to make the Y with her legs again more slowly this time expecting him to watch and do it...well, I guess he couldn't see or something because again, he has this look of complete innocence on his face when he starts to bend his knees, Again...at which time I Bust out laughing and everyone in the place turns to see what is going on...
Poor Quentin is confused, the photographer thinks my son is screwing with her, me and my husband are busting up and everyone else is staring at us trying to find out what is so funny...

We finally got through it, and maybe it was a blessing that she was such a bad photographer because before we got to leave the guy came out to sell us one of their "packages". Of course we got to see the FREE 8 x 10 which was Crappy! No wonder it's Free!

Whatever she did to my hair before we started gave me this crazy bouffant look in the back! And of course since she had me turned towards the side guess what you can see? UGH! I'm so Mad. He showed us the pictures of James and I together and my eyes are shut in 1 and the other we were laughing so hard our smiles are all crazy looking. Then there were 3 kids pictures and they all had glares on Quentin's glasses and in 1 he was smiling so much he actually looked like a chipmunk which was kinda cute, but cute isn't what you want for that kind of price. Another one had one of my girls looking off in space. Again, she was an Awful photographer but it made it Real easy to say "No Thank you" to buying any "special package". I get all the unprofessional photography I want for free right here at home.

Maybe next year we'll try again...

Anyway, after that little adventure I needed to pick up a few things from Walmart so off to the store we went. Seemed simple enough and it was on the way home for the most part.

Nothing is ever simple with me...I know this, my husband knows this, everyone who knows me knows this...two stores later, I have several things, none of which are what I went to get, but I'm happy and now and I'm ready to go home. I'm tired, I'm thirsty and I have to pee.

James says you better go now before we get in the car and you decide you can't wait till we get all the way across town to our house. Besides, you just bought a chocolate milk and you're gonna want to drink it. Makes sense to me. Off to the bathroom I go...

First opening on the left, in I go. At this point everything seems to move in slow motion but it had to have happened in like 5 seconds...I notice a small girl standing at a urinal to my left as I enter, my first thought was how odd that they have urinals in the women's restroom. Then the light bulb goes on my eyes move higher and meet the eyes of the man who happens to be using said urinal. Oh Shit! My hand moves over my eyes, my head drops down and I can feel the color of my face going through about 30 shades of red as my butt is moving for the door. Around the corner I go and straight for the other opening where I'm sure I Won't find any urinals on the wall, because at this point I couldn't bare to face my husband or anyone else. All I hope is that no one else saw...

As I leave the Men's Room and enter the Women's, I hear this burst of laughter from outside. Well, that hope is lost...I didn't see anyone as my hand never moved from my eyes and my head never left the down position but apparently, aside from my husband who had no idea what was going on, another man waiting on his wife saw my "mistake" and found it to be of Great entertainment value and even made the comment "he was glad he was not the only one to have made that mistake".

Now I'm thinking, walking into the women's restroom for a man is not the same...we,(being women) are not standing there in the open using the bathroom. There are doors to prevent you from seeing us should you accidentally come into the wrong restroom. And if for some reason the door might be missing, we would be sitting down thus preventing you from seeing too much. No, what I walked in on, was definitely different than what a man might walk in on. But, another lesson learned, I will definitely be paying more attention to the signs on the walls. And just because I prefer jeans does not mean my little bathroom symbol does...

I Finally did it! Got my blog under the new name...Yeah for me!

I Can't believe the weekend is almost here already! Where is the time going? Can you believe school started here already too?! Yahoo!! Peace and Quiet! And guess what I'm doing with it? Why, sleeping in of course, and making my husband late to work every chance he gives me! ;) Not like he works far. What is it? 10 paces down the hall, and he doesn't even need clothes to get there...OK more info than you really needed I'm sure, yep, I can feel his blush from all the way across the room! Sorry hon.

I suppose I should be getting busy. My house is a mess and I have a ton of sewing that needs to be done. A couple swaps I need to finish up, books I need to finish, a garden that looks like it's already prepared for my Halloween decorations, my goodness, the list is growing by the minute and I think I need another nap! lol

I think Forest Gump was on to something when he said "life is like a box of chocolates", I mean I wouldn't put it quite like that but every morning when I wake up my life shocks the heck out of me. I never would have have guessed this is where it was leading me. Lucky for me, God and I had two different visions of where I was gonna end up.

I joined a web site the other day. One of those school ones, to try and catch up with old class mates. I've been going back and forth about it for years and finally did it.
I've always been one of those people who firmly believes the past is the past for a reason. I try never to look back, mostly for fear of what I might find there. I mean come on, I'm all sweet and friendly now, but back then...
Let's just say there are Very few things from my past I'd like to remember.

My biggest shock came when I was strolling through the list of names and found an old friend on the first day. We were neighbors back then and he was one of my best friends. We were TROUBLE together! If it was bad we did it! But some of the best childhood memories I have included him...
He moved away when we were young. I didn't even know they were leaving. I came home one day, and they were packed and leaving. I never saw him again after that and after a number of years I stopped thinking of him. Until I saw his name on that list...suddenly every childhood memory came flooding back and all the emotion and I can't even explain it...

I wrote him through the site and he wrote back after only minutes! It's amazing to think I have him back in my life and we're both doing so well! I think I'm still in shock over having found him after all these years.
I guess I can admit there are a few things from my past I won't mind digging back out.

Aside from that, I'm doing really good, as is my family. We had the in-laws visiting a few weeks ago. That went well. They're back in California now all safe and sound.

The kids are all loving school. Well, Quentin is adjusting to high school. He's doing homework already and projects and he's not real happy about that but the other night he and I did one together and had a pretty good time with it so I think he'll live. And he got 100% on it I might add...

Sierra is back home at her dads. I'm so bummed...I miss her so much. I hate that she wants to live out in California rather than here with me but I suck it up and enjoy my summers with her. We had fun and I got a ton of pics with her and when she left this time I guess I kinda took it extra hard which made my husband want to make me feel better...and he knows I've been wanting a cat for awhile (and he hasn't), which leads to this next bit...

We have a new kitty. Well, we have a new Mountain Lion of a cat! I Love him! I named him Merlin. When we got him, he was being evicted from his home and I just couldn't resist. His previous owner had named him Krystal. Of course when we were made aware that "Krystal" had balls, I had to find a new name for Him. I watched him for a few days around the house. He seemed OK with us, not afraid but he kept his distance for a couple days. One night he decided to come out and get to know us each one at a time.

I was laying on the sofa reading a book, I was on my stomach all stretched out and he just jumped on my back, sniffed in my hair, walked up and down me then jumped down, turned looked at me and walked off.
The next morning, he was at my feet, meowing, under my sewing desk while I worked, pawing at my bedroom door when I slept too late...anyway, I guess I met with his approval.
The kids and James each got their own meet and greet from him and he has approved of each of them as well.

The night Merlin got his name was when we had the in laws over. We were visiting with them and suddenly the kids came up and started going nuts that the cat was missing. Well, I wasn't worried because it's not like this Huge beast of an animal slipped past anyone and got outside I'm thinking, so he's at least in the house. So, on the hunt we go...under beds, and couches and toy boxes, in every room, behind every door, you name it, we looked, no cat...James takes another peek under the bed and realizes, there he is...the whole time, this big white cat was completely blending into the wall so you couldn't see him until he turned his huge golden eyes on you and then, voila, there he was, like magic! Once found the kids went nuts trying to get at him and he got spooked ran and suddenly he just disappeared.
I went back upstairs, figured the mystery was solved, besides, we had guests. The kids hunted for awhile and then there they were back in our faces, crying over a missing cat. Now James and his mom are Much bigger suckers for this old game than I am so they went on the hunt with the kids. After awhile, I decided I better help or this game might never end. Back downstairs I went and back through the rooms, all the old spots from the first hunt and this time, no cat...then suddenly, this cat just appears out of nowhere! I mean it, He just walks past us like he had been there the whole time! I couldn't believe my eyes, the kids go nuts, start yelling and run for him and sure enough he runs and this time I track his big furry butt while he darts across the room and makes a jump for some built in wall shelves I have where I have old fabrics folded and stacked.
Well, I'll be damned! That big old white cat was watching us hunt for him the whole time and to make matters worse we were close enough to him on several occasions he could of smacked our butts with his paw and laughed at us about it and we still wouldn't have seen him!
That night, I told James my cat's new name was Merlin (the magician). He doesn't hide from us anymore and the girls don't scream and chase after him either. He's just part of the family and we love him.

We got another car too. Nothing too fancy, it's a 2002 Honda Accord EX. It's cute, and nicer than our other cars considering they consist of a 93 Honda Accord and a 94 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Me, I'd prefer a truck but my hubby's a Honda guy, what can I say?

Well, I guess that's everything for now...Until next Thyme!