i'm not dead.

miss me much? I've neglected my blog for almost a month now, & am yearning for the days where I had to get on to post about this or that, now it seems there's too much 'real life' events shaping my life right now, that's it's been almost impossible. I barely even check my emails anymore!

Let alone all the (seriously wonderful) companies whom I've been ignoring (unintentionally!!) with products they want me to show to you with giveaway potential. Although recently I saw an article based on the legalities of "Giveaway Blogs" & there was varied opinions on either side of that debate - I'm fairly certain I'm well entrenched somewhere in the middle - (ugh. I'm such a passive aggressive!)But it was definitely something to think about.

So, if you want an update of where I've been I can give you the cliff notes version.

• I recently started working out - as in, more than a quick walk to my mail box - & am starting to view that with something other than disdain. yay!
• We've decided to start some heavy legal (and very private - sorry) processess, I'll keep you updated using only code words and signals of course.
• I've made a huge push to make our family closer to one another. (Some of my younger minions were starting to have problems at school which made me consider that maybe we weren't as close as I envisioned us to be when I'm lost with my "online face"). You 'll know this one, you stare at the screen, occasionally laughing, while clicking away furiously on your keyboard & moving your mouse when you see fit. Something topples over in the next room creating an earth shattering sonic boom & you'll call out "What was that?!!" without moving your eyes from the screen. It may be a talent (at least - I consider it one) but it's not exactly healthy. Not in the doses I was feeding to my family anyways.
• I've decided to domesticate myself, as much as is safe for mankind at least. Cooking, baking, dressing in something other than sweats & last nights p.j t.shirt - well, by one in the afternoon at the latest!

Seeing it all there, written down - it doesn't look like much (and I'm fairly certain I've left out 5 or 6 major events which I'll recall as soon as I hit Publish Post) but it has wiped me out. I would love to take some time out at this place I saw on the travel channel, somewhere in the Carribbean with nothing but white, sandy beaches, pina coladas, and getting caught in the rain. Paradise.

So the plan of attack from here on out? Try and even things out. So my presence here is felt, (including those giveaways. If the companies haven't written me off in a huff and gone elsewhere. I have some brown nosing to do .....) yet keeping my family life well balanced and nutritious. Fingers crossed & wish me luck.

So I'll see you soon. And just really fast - Tammy did you see? THERE'S ANOTHER BOOK!! (BDB)!!

I don't expect anyone else to get that, but it's very exciting in the world of supernatural romance novels. :D

The song should speak for itself. if you paid attention ....

silent library. laugh out loud funny.

So I was looking over my blog, or my "special place" as it's been dubbed (thank you Lena) & it's been really "down" of late. Which, yanno - death tends to do that to people, but today I'm posting back as my usual slightly crazy, addicted to all things lamb chops, sarcastic pants-wearer.

Last night I couldn't sleep. Which those of you who've followed me for a while are aware I suffer (and suffer is definitley the appropiate word. Not being able to sleep? I'd rather chew glass. Really.) from insomnia. Only my insomnia calls the shots. There are nights I'll get a long blissful nights sleep - usually when I have nothing but housework planned for the next day, and others where I'll have PTA, work, scout meetings and then some for my day - and won't catch a glimpse of the sandman. (If you are now humming 'Enter Sandman' in your head - you are sunglasses cool.) Anywaaaaay, when I can't sleep I'll try different rooms, different beds, (that sounds weird & unusual. We actually have a few spare beds) well last night I ended up in front of the second living rooms t.v on the couch. So of course I start watching t.v, and around 5am I find this absolute GEM of a show that I cannot believe I hadn't heard of before.

Naturally it was a trashy MTV show (yes. I've been known to catch a few of their fabulously bar-lowering shows) but this one had me laughing SO HARD I was crying. Literally crying. If you haven't heard of it, it's called "Silent Library" & it's an offshoot from a Japanese game show (don't they just have the weirdest game shows?) But it basically involves 6 friends, in a library they deal out cards and all choose one at the same time, the one who receives the skull card has to be 'punished'. And the punishments have to be endured in silence. Otherwise they lose the money prize. It reeks of frat boys, but I just fell in love. Perhaps it's my grief making me pathetic - but I don't even care. If something makes me laugh now-a-days, I'm on it like flies on ... well. You get the picture. Unfortunately I could only find one decent copy & the other one I posted is the original Japanese version. But if you can find recent episodes, Let.Me.Know!!

I can't believe I haven't stumbled on this comedy gold sooner. That's what happens when you monitor what your kids watch. Which so isn't MTV. Enjoy :D

Advice, death & Eggs ?

It feels weird to post after being MIA for so long, but I thought today I'd leave some words of wisdom, some pics, and some advice. Aren't you lucky?

I had a death in my family recently, I won't go into details, but suffice to say, death puts a few (hundred) things into perspective. It's always such a shock when you realize you will never see that person again. You remember every small memory you have of them, and you can even remember the way they smelt. What perfume, or cologne they wore, what movies they liked, and these things become something you cling to for a time. You analyze the way you're living your life, & think of things you can improve, you try and explain these things to your kids, & realize that death is inevitable. It comes to us all. For whom the bell tolls, so to speak, and there's really no easy way to ease the blow for anyone.
I've lost a few people close to me, & it never gets any easier - which I don't think it's anything that should become easier, but with time - the hurt morphs into something else. Something you can bear, something that doesn't stop your breath during the day, or have you shedding a thousand tears over the slightest word.

So my advice to you is to hold your children closer, hold your husband tighter, love with all you can and be kind to those around you, because tomorrow, you may not be here to kiss the owie, soothe the "monsters" or sympathize with that hard day at work where everyone else got it wrong, but your man was right on the money :D

So I'll leave you with some pics of our Easter weekend, (which was so much fun, btw) & my head seems to be slowly re-attaching back to my body - when that happens -  more giveaways as well.

Happy (belated) Easter Weekend.

And a shout out to Brother & Sister Degen who have left today (which saddened everyone, while delighting them as well.) for their mission to Nauvoo. The field is ripe & ready to harvest & we wish you all the best, while we miss you fiercely. xx

How do you spell crisis in the plural?

So, I'm having some real life crisises, crisis', crisis's .... how is that spelt? I haven't ended my giveaways (although, fyi - they ARE ended.) I haven't even had time to get on and close them! I'm hoping tomorrow night wil yield some free time so I can take care of that. I've been completely neglecting my poor blog, *pats* & as soon as things offline sort themselves out into some semblence of sanity, then I shall, but my most humbest of apologies.

It's been one of those weeks where everything is up in the air, twisted & malicious at times, God putting me in my place, so to speak. (With aLOT of help from my kids) and that light at the end of the tunnel? It's a train. And the silver lining? A Boeing 747. So once this train wreck of a week has passed, then I'll be super - back to normal, I don't even feel the urge to add sarcasm. SARCASM! So something is definitely off, but yanno - this too shall pass. So instead of my usual, pithy self - despite what Heff says (my blog does too rock) here's some inspirational & political motivators.

and last - but definitely not least ....

Peace out, y'all. (BBS)