♫ Look! Karma gave me White Santa & Carhartt!

What would a Monday be without a Random Monday blog??

~Since I’m posting two blogs today, and Sarah and I worked our little blogging tush’s off this month, we’re setting a record in November for the number of blog posts. Are we driving you crazy yet???

~Finds it pretty awesome that the girls closest to me right now? Have pretty awesome guys…be them new or old…I am surrounded by good people, that have good things happening to them. *wishes she could say more*

~I believe more and more in Karma. What goes around, comes around. You don’t do things for people to get something in return, and if you do it with a pure heart and with good intentions, life will pay you back for it-I know it.

~I LOVE payday. Look what I got today! (birfday money is awesome) It’s so soft it practically purrrrrrs when you cuddle with it, plus it makes me wanna dress like a cozy country girl all winter. Anybody got a cabin I can borrow?



~I am a firm believer that whoever came up with “White Santa” parties, had a seriously awesome sense of humor. I hope I meet that person in Heaven.

~No matter how angry I am at somebody, when I know they’re out driving, or out drinking, or pretty much anywhere but near me…I still worry. Maybe it’s a mom thing. I lose sleep over you people.

~I have a secret, and it’s DYING TO GET OUT.

~We got our first “couples gift” this weekend. Somebody is giving “us” a TV. Actually it’s his rockstar of a grandma. And the TV is huge. And pretty. And plasma. And I totally get to control it Friday thru Sunday, unless football is on: we agreed.

~Nobody has cute sneezes. Nobody. Not even babies. Or kids. Or puppies. It’s gross. I don’t know what God was thinking when he decided to make that mechanism, but it makes my OCD twitch. It’s the only itch in the whole body that you can’t scratch without blowing spit all over the place. Why?!?!?

~What would random Monday be without a song?

Listen Carefully, single parents.



~And a quote, duh!

There are two types of people in this world: those that sit back and let it happen and those that reach out and make it happen

And a picture of the week:

My Leyna-Bug, on Aunt Linda’s porch, in her parade get-up.



Yours Truly,
Nomz

♫ A lesson on Females: Part One.

A word of caution: this blog was not prewritten, I’m winging it…therefore it might get deep, shallow, venture in to TMI-land (too much information-land), etc. We’ll call this rated PG-13, with parental guidance recommended. (and for the parents out there that read it, you’re warned too. ;) )

When we say…we mean….

#1. When we say: Honey, would you like to… do something for me (wash the dishes, put the dishes away, do some laundry, set the table, prepare the meat, etc), what we mean is:

If you’d like to live through this day, if you’d like to be rewarded later behind closed doors, or if you’d prefer we did not give you attitude for the remaining time left in the day, YOU WANT TO DO IT for us. The question above? Isn’t actually a question at all. It’s a polite order.

#2. When we say: This song is so cool, don’t you love it?!

We mean: You really like this song and should bop your head too.

#3. When we say: In our cute excited voice Isn’t this shirt the cutest thing you’ve ever seen?!?!

We mean: If you remembered this shirt and bought it for me later, you would not regret it. This shirt is a package deal, full of one big reward for you….IF you remember. If you don’t remember, we’ll remember that you didn’t remember.

#4. When we say: Honey, I would love to do anything you want me to do tonight. (Keeping this PG…)

We mean: Don’t get too creative. Headaches and excuses are both common after 8pm.

#5. When we say: I think we need a break. Dreaded words in every relationship…

We mean: CHASE US.

#6. When we say: Nothing is wrong, everything is FINE

We mean: You’re in trouble. Everything is wrong, and I’m about to bust out my girly emotions all over the place. Guys: The word FINE when used in the form of “I’m fine”, “We’re fine”, etc…means exactly opposite of what the dictionary tells you it means.

#7. When we say: It’s not you, it’s me

We mean: It really is mostly me. But only you can fix it. I know that’s one of the most famous quotes in the history of all breakups, but it’s a lazy way of saying…no matter what you do, I’m not happy. So change, or let me find what I need elsewhere.

#8. When we say: I got you a new TV!

We mean: I got US a new TV and it’s going HERE. Men that have ever gotten a new TV from your best girl, know it’s true.

#9. When we say: I’m going on a diet

We mean: I’m saying I’m going on a diet, to hear you tell me I don’t need to. Just because it’s not in question form, does not mean it’s not loaded.

#10. When we say: anything…

We probably mean: something else.

#11. No matter what we're saying...or doing...a hug will probably fix it. Claws out and all, we won't refuse a hug. I can almost guarantee it.

Now, most of you that read this blog know me…and know that I’m a pretty blunt person. BUT, you also know that girls have their own language, and whether you’re the type of girl to use one of these, or all of these, you know it’s true. Tell me I’m wrong…or, fill us in on YOUR favorite thing to say…and mean.

Yours Truly,
Nomz

Happy ThanksNOMing day!!

From the bottom of our hearts!!!

<3

Nomz and Sazaran

♥Don't talk to strangers.

That rules applies to little kids only. Me? I like to have deep conversations with someone I've only just met. Try it on a telemarketer- it's fun. So, I got this random text the other night and this is how it all went:

Stranger: Look out ur window

Me: I did. There's nothing there. (And yes, I am a little paranoid at this point)

Stranger: no ur other window

Stranger: wait is this caleb?

Me: No! Hahahahahahaha

Stranger: Who is this did luc give me the wrong number?

Me: This is Sarah and obviously I didn't give you my number.

Stranger: Wait do you live in Boise?

Me: I used to. Who is this

Stranger: Thats not important. Do u know anybody with the last name of hardin

Me: If u want info u gotta give info my dear

Stranger: Is this caleb pretending to be sarah? $kyle$

Me: No

Kyle: I bet it is

Me: Well I don't know what to tell ya. Want me to send a pic of whats outside my window?

Kyle: That was a joke for caleb so that has nothing to do with you

Me: Well I'M NOT CALEB

Kyle: Yes, I recognize that

Me: You seemed confused so I thought I'd reiterate it for you.

Kyle: Caleb is a goofball and its not surprising that he would pretend to be someone named sarah

Me: I bet hes not as good looking as I am tho. Its hard to pretend that.

Kyle: How old are u?

Me: 100 minus 75

Kyle: 15 good god caleb is 13

Me: No honey, I'm 25. 100 minus 75 is 25.

Kyle: what the hell? wheres caleb?

Me: Dude. Who knows? Have you tried missing persons?

Kyle: What is tha?

Me: You know, when you don't know where someone is, you check with the police.

Kyle: no calebs brother just gave me the wrong number

Me: Well, I think you should beat him up. Or thank him because you just met the second coolest person.ever.

Kyle: he lives all the way in boise and i live in colorado

Me: Ohhhh well I just moved from Boise and i live just 30 minutes from co. is that a weird coincidence or what?!

Kyle: not really. ur bound to have the same area code since you lived in boise and its not like ur in co

Me: Well I think its FATE

Kyle: im 12 years younger ur a creeper

Me: Whoa. I never said anything about THAT. Fate can bring friends together. Get ur head outta the gutter and recognize a joke when you read it.

(Yes, at this point I thought, uh-oh. But, how did I know he was telling the truth?!)

Kyle: that wasn't a joke!

Me: Yes it was. Ask any of my friends and they'll tell you i have a great sense of humor

Kyle: ha what friends? hahahahahaha

Me: Psh. all SIX HUNDRED of them on my facebook. Ok thats an exaggeration i have 356

Kyle: doubt it i mean i don't even know you it would be pretty easy to lie about how many friends you have

Me: dude. have a little fath.

Kyle: fath? learn some god darn spelling

Me: Ok, if you're gonna be mean, i'm gone. At least I know my math.

Kyle: Ur 25 and hitting on little boys I wouldn't want to be friends anyway

Me: Get over yourself. I made it clear ur way outta my league. Like i said, BE NICE. or didn't your mommy teach you that?

Kyle: my mommy told me not to talk to strangers

Me: ok bye.

Kyle: Fine leave i mean who even voted for you? I didn't and everyone else who did is scratching their heads and saying whoops shoudn't of done that, ur administration.... (text got cut off)

Me: Riiiiight, you keep telling yourself that you uninformed uneducated brainwashed pre-teen (I do give myseld MAJOR comeback props for this one, people)

Kyle: ... is a hipocracy! and guess what our country is ripping apart at all the corners but no one wants to admit because theyre scared!

Kyle: I'm dying of cancer.

Me: I bet you are.

Kyle: the only thing in the world that makes me sick is people like you who don't even care if i die because to them i'm just another little boy with cancer.

Me: You are now blocked, cancer-boy. Have a nice day.

Kyle: Satan shall have thouse revenge.


WHATEVER.... this is what I get for trying to make strangers my friends. Some people's kids.

Sazaran

♥Going through the motions...

Today has been hard. (Warning, this blog is slightly not sunny...). Last night I had a dream where Malachi and a close friend of mine got hurt and there was nothing I could do about it. Usually, when such a dream invade my beauty rest, I pray it away and go back to sleep. This one was a little clingy, though, and would not go away. Scared and awake I suddenly realized that I had no one next to me in bed that I could wake up and cuddle for comfort. That has been following me around all day. And it's one of those days where every song on the radio either holds some sort of memory, reminds you of your single status or rips apart the one who left (SRSLY, I do hope that every time you see my face it gives you hell). This girl has been on the verge of tears all day. I am angry. I'll admit it. I loved being married, caring for someone, creating a warm home. I wanted to have another baby soon; I wanted to decorate for Christmas, a house that I could call my own; I wanted to sign every birthday card, every anniversary card "Wifey".

For me, when I encounter days like today, I go to one place only: the presence of the Lord. Today, I didn't have a revelation so much as a total bear hug and significant peace. Am I cured? Not really, but I'm well on my way. I want to share what I got with some of the single mamas/divorcees/ladies that I know read our blog. I hope this helps you:

The Lord is my husband, my comforter, my strength, my bread-winner. He will be a father to my son, for He is a Father to the fatherless. He will protect me, romance me, cherish me, provide for me. He is my All in All and know everything I need and had promised to shelter me and take care of me. Worry not! He is all I need.

Please watch this video, it's amazing:





Sazaran

♫ Random Monday: Happy Hippies and Trampolines

How is it Tuesday already?!

My apologies, for completely skipping Random Monday. Hopefully, you can deal with the randomness a day late. Try to keep up. ;)

~Some things aren’t as they seem. Neither are people. Appearances are just the icing…and sometimes, icing is very misleading to what’s underneath. Get the full story before you assume what you’re going to bite off is what you’re expecting.

~IT Help Desk folks are lifesavers. But, God bless them anyway, are royal pains in the behind a lot of the time. While I completely appreciate their courage in touching every computer in the building, their intense skillz, and their brain power…the attitude seems to be contagious, and something that every single business experiences. Maybe it’s the higher intelligence level? Also? Rebooting three times doesn’t fix anything, I promise.

~I am excited about this Christmas more than past Christmas’s. I’m not sure if it’s the new additions in my life (friends, family, guys, etc.), or the lack of crap in my life…but this one is gonna rock. Plus, my girls are old enough for the first time to really get in to it!

~I don’t understand Twilight. It was pointed out though, that I’m not allowed to cast judgments until it has been given a fair trial…so I’m starting the first book next week. I’m hoping to find the magic, but I’m not optimistic. It’s just too trendy for me.

~I’m realizing that bad attitudes are contagious. If we all understood the power we have inside, the world would be in a lot of trouble. And either hostile, or hippy. I’ve never seen a hostile hippy, honestly. Only happy ones.

~I went to my very first Denver Bronco’s game this week with a fabulous family friend couple (we’ll call them fffc). Such a blast of a time! It wasn’t my first NFL game though, and it made me really happy that I’m a Minnesota Vikings fan. *wink* I do know, now, what it feels like to be inside of a blue and orange pop can. It’s echo-y, and loud, and full of flavor!

~ I tried on a trampoline today. Actually, it was a shirt made out of trampoline. Note: if a shirt says: 62% rayon and 38% nylon, don’t buy it, unless you want to jump on it.

~ I met an Australian this week, from Australia, and he shook my fingers instead of my hand. It was like a curtsey built in to a hand shake. Is that normal? Anybody wanna go there with me and find out?

~I’ve been busy this week, working on Sierra Trading Post Black Friday. If you love me, or black Friday, or Sierra Trading Post, you’ll click here, and leave a comment: Free Black Friday

~I can’t figure out why people have such a complexity about getting old. Speaking of getting old, listen to this song, because no Random Monday or Tuesday is complete without a song, right?!

I Wanna Grow Old With You by Westlife



~Life puts you in awkward situations to test your integrity. In my opinion, anyway.

~Quote time! It’s time to forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, and laugh uncontrollably.

Yours Truly,
Nomz

PS. Picture of the week (sorry Facebook friends, I know, you get to stare at it every day.)

♫ Fighting Bitterness

Bitter (adj.)
1. Having or being a taste that is sharp, acrid, and unpleasant.
2. Causing a sharply unpleasant, painful, or stinging sensation; harsh
3. Difficult or distasteful to accept, admit, or bear
4. Proceeding from or exhibiting strong animosity
5. Resulting from or expressive of severe grief, anguish, or disappointment:
6. Marked by resentment or cynicism

Even saying the word feels ugly. It’s an ugly word. It’s hard to taste too. Like…when you take a bite of a crab apple for the first time. No matter how many times you try to rinse that taste out of your mouth, it lingers. And even thinking back on that experience makes you quick-shiver I bet. Or green rhubarb. Or lemons. Or tomatoes , that’s right, I’m going to jab tomatoes every chance I get.

Apparently, things in life are the same way. A bitter life experience, which according the definition above, is one that leaves you with an unpleasant taste about life, a painful experience, or is difficult to accept or admit. One that leaves you feeling unfulfilled, and can often times lead to resentment toward either the experience, or the person that cued the feeling. And it’s hard.

Examples of bitterness.

These examples come from my own experience, and those around me, to keep it fair.

-Single Mammas. When you’re a single mom, life is hard. Even the ones that are the most positive, find a low point…and generally, to make themselves feel better, point fingers at whoever put them in that low position.

-Divorcees, or those that had a stable relationship, and is now very unstable or completely gone. There is no worse feeling than abandonment. Even if you’re the person that chose to leave, you still feel very much alone.

-Those that give full effort in making somebody happy, make them feel special, or pull them out of a tough spot, and get little or nothing in return. Even a quiet “thank you” would be enough.

-Those that are financially insecure or burdened, due to matters out of their own hands. The world has left us really bitter, making money a necessary evil, and something sought after and fought after…I blame you, Devil. Go to hell.

-Religion. When people feel pressured, persecuted, cast out, condemned, or judged by any form of religion, those in leadership in a religious place, or those that feel the need to condemn and use religion as a punishment, they get bitter

Get over it. Self, I’m talking to you too.

Everybody has some level of bitterness in them over something. How do we let it go? How do we get past it?

-Pray. You’ll hear me say it a lot, prayer works. Whether you choose to pray to God, some form of higher up, the palm of your hands, your family, a statue, or just to yourself in a form of meditation, I believe prayer works. I personally believe it’s the God behind the prayer that makes it work, but I also believe that a state of meditation gets all the bad juice out of your system. It calms your nerves, and if done right, helps it leave your soul entirely.

-Talk it out. Find your support system, a good support system, and get advice and help. Do not choose the girl that has a big mouth, the drama king or queen, or the negative friend, or the Frenemy (something we’ll address in a soon-to-come blog about women feeling the need to stay friends with not-so-friendly-friends). Find the positive one, the one that encourages you to find the good in the worst situation. The one that forces you to see reality for what it is, and help you find a solution to deal with it.

-Eat. Whoever coined the term comfort food, bless you. Eat some of your mamma’s soup, and tell me you don’t feel it all wash away.

-Exercise. Something about kicking that treadmills ass, really does work.

-Forgive. We’ve written a ton of blogs over the last year on forgiveness, or ways to get past negativity. Please use the fancy search bar at the bottom of your page to find them and read them. Two of my personal favorites: Negativity is the Easy Way Out and Forgive and Forget

-Love. Even in bitterness, you can love the person for what and who they are.

Quote of the day:

Should you find yourself the victim of other people's bitterness, ignorance, smallness or insecurities; remember, things could be worse. You could be one of them.

Take that one how you want to.

Yours Truly,
Nomz

PS. Photo courtesy of My Lemon Face. Seriously, if you need something to do to waste the rest of your Friday, browse through these pictures and laugh your faces off. Maybe all bitterness will go away. ;)

♫ Just a quote and a picture. And a few words too.

"We can love and care for others but we cannot possess our children, lovers, family or friends. We can assist them, pray for them and wish them well, yet in the end their happiness and suffering depend on their thoughts and actions, not on our wishes.”
Jack Kornfield

I posted that on Facebook today, so apologies, if you're feeling like I'm being redundant. I don't think it's completely unhealthy to read over that again and again and again though. We only have so much control over what happens. You work with what life gives you, and hope for the best for the rest of it.

And...because I'm pretty sure the world can't live without another picture of these cowgirl cheeks, learning from a young age to ride out whatever life hands you:



Yours Truly,
Nomz

♫ Color Inside the Lines...Then Out.

"Coloring inside the lines may get you accepted. Coloring outside the lines may get you noticed. Coloring around them may help you actually get things done." I wish I could make this whole quote my blog title.

I don’t think we should teach our kids to color inside of the lines. In fact, I hate that it’s a developmental check point. I feel that there is a strong connection to coloring inside the lines being a requirement, and our lack of present-time Picasso’s.

I think we restrict our children by telling them when and where and what color things are supposed to be. Of course, because it is a requirement, I congratulate mine when they get it right.

Life is kind of the same way, when you think about it. We’re told there are certain things that you must achieve to survive, and thrive, in a civil manner. You live with your parents. You become a teenager. You get an email address and a Facebook account. You learn to kiss. You get a cell phone {times have seriously changed in the last ten years or so}. You learn to drive a car. You get a job. You graduate. You move out. You go to school some more. You kiss some more. You graduate again. You get a better job. You get a better car. You drive better. You work hard. You get paid more. You marry. You kiss less. You have kids. You kiss rarely. You retire. You buy a bigger house. Your kids follow your footsteps. You get grandkids. You get a better car. You drive worse.

Those that color outside the lines of life, are looked down on. Judged. Criticized.

Those that don’t graduate, have kids too soon, get divorced, can’t drive (I will always judge you), don’t get married, go to school for too long, don’t have Facebook, never have kids, have too many kids…are talked about. The thing is, those that color inside the lines ONLY, either lead very dull in-home lives, or don’t exist. I don’t see them out on the streets, or know any. And I know a lot of people. I also know a lot of people that are really good at pretending to be normal. Not impressed.

“I would rather be a messed up person, fixed, than a regret-less person wondering how “messed up” would feel.”

They say that your 20’s are your hardest years. I’d believe it. Not because life is generally harder than anybody else’s, but because of the confusion of where the lines are to color inside of, and so many opinions trying to help you figure just that out. My opinion? Very few people liked Picasso, and the dude is still famous. Worry less about what everybody else around you thinks, says, and does, and just be you. The less-stupid-driver-you. Teach your kids, or lack thereof, or excessive amounts, of kids…that it’s ok to color outside the lines, as long as you’ve mastered coloring inside the lines first. The basics. You know…learn how to operate a basic cell phone, and car…and finish at least one volume of school, then use your imagination.

Yours Truly,
Nomz

♥Smooth Away Review

You know that informercial about the little buffing pad which is supposed to remove unwanted hair painlessly and easily? Yes, I tried it. I did not spend money on it, mind you, I used a friend's. Anyway, I thought I'd provide a little review on the item as I know a lot of my girlfriend always ask, "I wonder if that really works?"

The answer (drum roll, please) is: yes, it does.

But...

I would never pay money for it. Here's the deal. You have to sit there and rub and rub and rub and rub and... you get the idea. In the amount of time that it took to rid one leg of hair (and not even that well) I could have shaved my entire body. SRSLY. Apparently, it's supposed to last longer than shaving. But, I doubt it. After about ten minutes of circular, upward motions I could still feel that stubble feeling. I'd put my money on one of those razors with five blades or waxing.

So, there ya go. If anyone has tried it and got different results, please share! I'd love to know if there is a little trick out there...

:)

~Sazaran

♫ The Big Warm-Up

Just dropping in to show you something touching. Something brilliant, and something you can do to make a difference AND get a discount at Sears through Lands End. Do me a favor...click on the link below, type in your name (I promise it's safe), and watch the video closely for a really neat surprise...then tell me if you don't feel the need to tell everybody you know.

The Big Warm Up

Yours Truly,
Nomz

♥Support (n.):

Ohhhhhhh man I am eyes-stinging tired (physically, mentally, emotionally). But, before I go to bed I must get this blog outta my head. Now that the legal snowball is rolling, I feel the weight of my situation begin to slowly settle on my mental capacity. I tell ya, a divorce can make a girl go crazy or turn pre-maturely grey (dear Lord, please no). I would be one dramatically melting mama if I did not have my support group. They are everything to me these days. And I'll tell ya about 'em:

Lisa, My Body guard.

This girl can hold her own- and anybody else's, for that matter. I whine about something he's said or done that hurt my feelings and she's all about driving that half-day's trip to open a can-o-whoop-ass on him (it's funny, the image that comes into my head when I envision that battle). If you ever need somebody to punch the bully, Lisa is your woman.

Ashley, My Eternal Ray Of Sunshine.

It doesn't matter how big or black those stormy clouds look as they roll into your life- Ashley can dispel any fear or anxiety with a smile and an encouraging word. I've come to depend on her bright outlook to pull me out of whatever muck I may be sucked in by.

Jennifer, My Legal Counselor.

She's a been there, done that kinda lady with the most adorable boys you will ever come across. Not only has she given me a point-by-point on what to expect over the next few months, she let's Mal play with her offspring. Mal loves her boys. SRSLY. I would never trade her for the world.

Jenn, My Sista From Anotha Motha.

Jennnnnnnnnnn, my heart-warming, compassionate, empathetic and supportive goddess. I don't know where I would be without this blessed woman. We fell out of contact for nine years and I happened to find her on Facebook just months before the poo hit the fan. I know that it was no coincidence that God brought her back into my life at the exact moment that He did. She is a gem.

Naomi, The Bestest Co-Blogger and Mama-Friend a girl could ask for.

Since the day I found out I was pregnant, Naomi has been my personal doctor, advice counselor, pharmacist, taxi and lunch buddy. Every mama needs a mama-friend that she can bounce ideas, fears and questions off off. I haz Nomz. We laugh together; cry together and get angry together. I will never let her go.

Put all of these women together into one good looking guy and even Edward Cullen himself couldn't compare. *sigh*

Of course, my family are also vital threads that make up my net of support. But, these are the women in my life that have really carried me through some dark times. I love each and every one of you. Thank you for being so good to me. I would not be able to be as strong as I {seem} without you right there beside me.

♥

♫Random Monday: Surprises!

It’s my birthday today. I’m 26. I’ll save you from asking.
As promised, it’s a Rambling Monday. Here goes.

~A sentence from my horoscope today: Because of the many blessings in our lives, it can be difficult to really identify with the pain and challenges that people less fortunate must face each day. The concern and kindness you feel toward those individuals can help you find the inner strength to sacrifice your time for and share your blessings with those who need it most. I love this. I actually thought about that today, when I saw a man walking to his car with a container of anti-freeze, I said a little prayer of thanks that it wasn’t me in that 13 degree weather, realizing that scraping 4 inches of snow and ice off my car this morning was pretty mild compared to things other people are going through.

~I am afraid of hitchhikers. Actually, every time I see them I just want to hug them and tell them it will be ok, but am so freaked out to get raped or murdered that I just keep driving. Something about seeing them on the side of the road makes me wish I had a boy, or a gun, in the backseat at all times so I could help them out and enjoy interesting conversation with a stranger. I’ve been warned though, it’s dangerous. However, if I ever see a female, you can bet she’s getting a ride. As long as she appears as though she’s been female since the beginning of time.

~Facebook seems to be a confusing tool for so many people. And because I find it easy to use, I get impatient. I’m working on it.

~I posted a quote on Facebook this week, and added to it. Here’s the thing in full: ...when life knocks you to your knees...you're in the perfect position to pray. When life knocks people down around me, strangely, I'm *still* in the perfect position to pray. Whether you’re attending church regularly or not, I really hope that you’ve found that prayer works. If nothing else, it’s nice that you can put faith in something that things will turn around for those that are making your heart heavy.

~People have caught on that I have a serious earring fetish, and it’s awesome.

~I’m not telling you everything that’s happened for my birthday, maybe tomorrow. Fact though? The people in my life rock

~Don’t try to reenact Balloon Boy with a dozen balloons. It doesn’t work. However…pictures DO.

~So many balloons happened in my cubical today, we could call it balloon day. It started with a friend and her guy, and continued through the day…

~The smell of lilies will never get old. EVER.

~Things at Victoria Secret, really are miraculous.

~My blackberry can survive on “low battery” for approximately 7 hours. What’s the point of the warning if you’re going to last that long, honestly? Impressed.

~I realize that there are times that you’ve done all you can do, and have to let things happen-train wreck or otherwise-all on their own. The problem for me, is figuring out how to let go and let it happen. I’m either too attached to people, or a control freak, but I really just want to keep playing conductor. Tips on how to get past that would be grand.

~What’s a Random Monday without music??? Listen to this please and if nothing else, notice her fantastic wardrobe:



Now picture my three and four year old singing it. They’re rockstars.

~Lunchboxes on the interstate are really random. Picnic? Rollover? Mad at your lunch? Mad at your wife that made your lunch and forgot you hated tomatoes? Either way, throwing your lunch box out the window is a little extreme, don’t you think?

~The book: Walking in Circles Before Laying Down is pretty darn good if you are a dog lover going through a mid-life crisis. Or just a dog lover.



~I have approximately 10 minutes before I’m due to stand in the Deee EmmmmM Veeeee line. weeeeeeeeeeee

Yours Truly,
Nomz

♫ Can't Kiss Everything Better

I hate fighting. I’m not talking about the cute let’s pretend fight, because it’s fun to argue, and decide who wins this stellar argument over rock, paper, scissors. I mean the real kind too. The kind where you throw stuff, and yell, and get angry, and hate him for a few hours, and then feel terrible afterwards. The kind that starts off the movie P.S. I Love You so well. The kind where you begin to worry where you’re going to sleep that night, because it’s that bad.

But.

As much as I hate fighting, I hate not fighting even more. I’ve been in enough relationships to know that not fighting, gives me so much inner turmoil. There are only so many things that you can let go before they catch up to you. It’s like heartburn, only worse, because you can’t describe the feeling, or make it better. They don't make tums for inner turmoil yet. I'm emailing the labs though, please hold.

I love that I have a fighter. We actually get made fun of quite often for how much we argue. Mostly it’s the annoyingly adorable fights, but we have the real ones too. And we’re good at it. It’s amazing the relief when it’s actually cleared out of our systems though.

Confession:

I am a passionate person, and I have a temper. It’s actually pretty hard to find. It’s buried deeeeeeep. When it comes out to play though, it does not play well with others. I’ve learned some things to better our arguments. Sometimes, you have to agree to disagree. More often, you have to compromise and it sucks. The most important thing though, is to breathe. It’s better to take a self-check and think about what you’re emotional or angry about, before actually getting to that boiling point. Steps to survive, and not end up sleeping in the bathtub.

#1. Agree from the very beginning that you will not go to bed angry. I always thought that rule was junk, until I did go to bed angry. And slept angry. And woke up angry. Nope, fight until morning if you have to.

#2. It’s ok to take time to breathe. Sit there in the awkward heavy silence, leave the room, take a drive, take a walk. Breathe. Practicing breathing when you’re angry, concentrating on breathing, actually clears your head and gives you straight thoughts to decide if you really should be angry, of if there is another underlying issue. It’s kind of like…when a baby is crying uncontrollably, sometimes you have to just let him cry it out. You have to walk away before you hurt them. Well…we grow out of that lesson, apparently. Walk Away. Cry it out….instead of strangling the other person. Amazing how it works.

#3. Give them their turn to speak. This one is still my weak point. In arguments, when he’s talking…I’m either shoving my point out of my mouth so fast it drowns him out, OR I’m thinking so hard on what I’m going to say, that I’m not hearing his point. The only way to ever reach a compromise, is understanding their stupid point of view too. ;)

#4. Never yell. It’s hard, in the heat of passion. But it’s one of my favorite rules between him and I…and even between me and my kids. There is nothing that you need to say, that needs to come out IN CAPS LOCKS VOICE. You can talk everything out calmly, and if you can’t, you’re not ready to discuss it anyway.

Of course there are more rules than this. And no relationship is perfect. But this is a really good start to going the distance, healthily.

Want proof that arguing really does help? Read this: The Bad Habit That's Good For You Give it a minute, it'll take a bit for the page to load.

Curious, what works for you in arguments?

Yours Truly,
Nomz

♫ Why We Blog

How do these blogs happen? Usually, it goes in this order:

Gets inspired. Has to blog.
Gets riled up. Has to blog.
Gets emotional. Has to blog.

Today, I’ve been inspired so many times I’m overwhelmed, and therefore leaving you with this picture, I beg you to at least feel inspired to smile.



Yours Truly,
Nomz

Beautiful Disaster

I'm sure you'll hear the news soon enough. It isn't quite legal (yet) but it soon will be. Rase is filing for divorce and before any rumors start floating 'round like little feathers- this is all his decision. If you want more details, you can email me. Or Facebook me.

It isn't a surprise to me, I saw it coming. Though we kept our issues as private as we could, I'm sure there were a few signs here and there that, if looked upon with enough thought, flashed their warnings. Am I heartbroken? Yes. Am I going to let it get the best of me? No. And, so, this is where I begin my healing. I've always been a silver lining sort of girl and in any bad situation I have taught myself that the best way to plow through on to the good side is to focus on the positives. With a little humor for good measure.

1. Now I can re-read my Twilight Saga Collection without the slightest guilt pangs of wanting Edward Cullen to come through my window every night and sing me to sleep.

2. I know this isn't the end of love. I know that there is another love-sick man out there, wishing for a love-sick woman like myself.

3. My wedding ring is beautiful. Admittedly, Rase did a good job when he picked it out. I don't know if I can part with it, but I don't know if I can keep it. So, I've found this site and might try one of the ideas:

* Melt it down into a tear drop? Oh, I would be Emo.
* Make a little casket and bury it?
* Sell it?
* Throw it into a Colorado river?

3. Get over it by buying a pair of kissing fish- yes, they DO kiss! I've had 'em before and they're seriously the cutest thing ever. How can you not have a positive outlook on love with these two hangin' around?

4. I'll invest in ME. Really, even though I'll be a single mama (sheesh, I never thought I'd say that) I can make it happen. The top priority here is to get my relationship with Jesus back on line.

5. I will forgive Rase. And it might take a little while, I know it will be necessary for Malachi.

Sometimes I think this all may be moving a little too fast. I might be getting over with it a little to early. But, then I remind myself that no good comes of wallowing. I've learned from my mistakes and I know I have the strength to pick up the broken pieces and, with help from The Lord, fashion a new life full of hope.

Isaiah 43: 18-19

“ Do not remember the former things,

Nor consider the things of old.

Behold, I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
I will even make a road in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert."

~Sazaran

♫ Tuesday's Agenda

I didn't blog today. And I felt sooooooooooo guilty, I thought I'd write you a quick one.

Things I both did, and will do, before this day is over.

Did:

Work. Hard, actually. I come in contact with approximately 7,000 people a day at my job. It's true. Of course by "in contact", I mean virtually, on Facebook, Twitter, and email. Today, was especially nuts because we have something up our sleeves for Black Friday...and it's going to be awesome. I might tell you about it tomorrow.

Went for a walk with Julie. For some reason, Wyoming changed its mind about giving us NO Autumn at all, and has given us literally days in a row of it. It was 63 degrees today, and perfect get off your flat cube ass and walk weather.

Drove 88 miles, exactly, to see Brandon. To really awesome music, that I didnt even know I owned.

Played Rock, Paper, Scissors with Brandon over Subway.

Sat on his couch watching...something...whilst writing you a blog, waiting for our favorite couple to arrive to go laugh with.

Things I'm going to do tonight:

Laugh

Here is a preview:



And....cuddling with these two is also high on the agenda:




Oh! I just remembered, I'm watching Dirty Jobs. That guy is my hero. I love his show. I pretty much have a crush, and do not envy him a bit. He just showed me, and anybody else who cares to watch his show, his thumb nail. That is no longer there. Gross.

Yours Truly,
Nomz

♫ Random Monday: Breathe

I need to breathe. I am blogging, because the day has reached a climax, and I either need to walk or blog. Lucky you, I chose door number two.

We are going to call this the beginning of Random Mondays. From here, going forward, I am going to word vomit all over this blog on Mondays. A whole bunch of random. Sometimes you’ll understand, sometimes you wont. If you don’t like it, tune out on Mondays, I promise to love your eyes anyway.

~If you have a Twitter account, you know that Mondays are #MusicMondays. Today, I bring you the calmest song I’ve ever heard Pearl Jam sing. We’ll call it soothing and oh, so fitting. Just Breathe by Pearl Jam



~New reason to get a Twitter account: You can help end hunger. Every time you post this tweet: “RT @MaltOMealCereal: We'll donate 10 bowls of cereal 2 people in need 4 each person to RT this message. #stophunger”, obviously, cereal gets donated to two people…10 bowls of it. Something that takes seconds, feeds two people!

~Confession: I love him. It’s been 10 months, almost, and I can say that with no ill regard or regret. I’m not telling you how long it’ll last, or where it’s going. I just know that he accepts me for everything I bring in. He is a superhero on a regular basis for swooping in on my emotional meltdowns. And he doesn’t just accept my girls, he wants to love this package deal. He…is rare.

~I have two blogs, and two journals. Blog number two is a secret, and unless a magical google search takes you there, you wont find it. My journals consist of quotes, vents, memories, goals, and prayers. I pray in a journal every single night. And I’m watching them come true.

~My girls have new pink carseats. Part of the superhero trick, he put aside his pride, and pushed said pink carseats around for me, just to make me smile. The new carseats come from miss Cindy, due to a minor incident…and they have cupholders. And lights. And big girl seats. And a button, it seems, that triggers hyper giggles the whole time they sit in them. I will show you them online, but you must ride in my car for full affect: Pink Magic Carseats! thank you miss cindy!

~My mom rocks. There are days that are really hard. For her, I mean. And as much as they drive me crazy or frustrate me, there are times she pushes her struggles aside for us. Example: despite hating crowds and loud rooms…she let us celebrate our birthdays at the loudest place in town. With 20 other people. And two toddlers IN HER SALAD all of dinner. That day? For her? Was a success.

~I love quotes. Quote of the day: "Beneath the makeup and behind the smile I am just a girl who wishes for the world." It’s true.

~I was contacted on Facebook a few weeks ago by a girl I haven’t talked to since elementary school. I haven’t talked to her since literally, fifth grade. The best part? We are right back to where we were 15 years ago. WAVES! HI CODI! I love Facebook

~It’s been brought to my attention that I have no life, because it seems I’m on Facebook an awful lot. Let me point out that if you’ve noticed that, you’ve been on Facebook a lot too. Let me also point out, that it’s actually my job. Really. My job, is to be a Facebook professional. So there

~I am surrounded by really pretty, great girls…who have crappy men in their life. Notice, that was plural, because there is more than one, I promise. And it takes everything in me to just support and love them, instead of kicking them all in the balls. You know who you are.

~My diet started Thursday. And with the exception of a few French fries last night at dinner, I’m winning. Thanks Julie, Cindy, and Linda for being the best support system, eva!

~I keep hearing about this marvelous thing called a “Neti Pot”. Somebody tell me they use it, and also that it’s safe for kids. I am this close to going out and getting one.

~My birthday is in 7 days. And I don’t want to talk about it. I hate birthdays. I don’t like feeling like a big deal. Plus, sadly, if you divide my 20's in half, I’m over halfway to 30. That scares me. You know, because that’s half way to almost 60.

~I am trying to exercise truth in moderation, and I am trying to figure out why.

~Everybody around me is having babies all of a sudden. I hope it’s not contagious. But I cant help but feel mildly envious. I don’t want anymore babies…but I really, really miss holding them. Is it creepy to walk up to every person with a newborn and say ”Can I hold your baby PLEEZE?!”?? I mean come on, it’s not creepy to touch their belly’s when they’re prego…what’s the difference anyway?

~I’m searching for a way to afford, and find, a great gymnastics or dance program for my little girls in our little Wyoming town. We bounced and pranced at a fabulous gymnastics birthday party this weekend, and the girls really need something like that in their life, officially. fingers crossed

~Is it just me, or is football much, much, much more exciting this year??? Maybe I’ve just been out of it the last 25 years. That’s very possible.

Well, it’s near quitting time. Which means I get to get my girlies, and go home, and roll around on the floor with their assistance (aka: Pilates). Wish me luck!

Yours Truly,
Nomz

Comfort Food.

There are those days, the ones where you just can't do anything right; the dog pees and poops on the new carpet; your kids acts like h-e-double-hockey-sticks on wheels; your husband decides to leave you. Those days (or weeks, or months) call for some serious comfort food. Fast forward to my mama's house. It is a haven, a safe place from all the storms and nasty surprises the world hides like an ace card.

Remember that scene from Ratatouille, where the mean old food critic eats the dinner that Remy makes and he has a flash back of his childhood? It shows him with a scratched knee and he runs home to his mama who has his favorite meal prepared for him. It makes his pain go away. I've been sheltered these past few days with my mama. She has hugged me, cooked for me, cleaned up after me and dressed Mal for me. Nursing my wounds, you could call it. Even with all the love that I'm being seeped in, it would be far less effective without the comfort food she provides:

~ Spicy Potato Soup (a staple entree from my childhood)
~ Caramel Corn (made from scratch- secret family recipe)
~ Raisin Griddle Cakes
~ Butternut Squash Soup
~ Toast drizzled in olive oil and sprinkled with salt (this is amazing, if you've never tried it, DO)
~ Canadian bacon pizza with sour kraut (I can just imagine Nomz's eye twitching. Don't freak out. It is really yummy.)
~ Chai tea, pumpkin spice coffee

I swear, I'm living my own version of Eat, Pray Love. As if that lovin' ain't enough, she has me busy making snowmen snowflakes and any other craft that suits my fancy. It's a whole pantry of comfort food here and I feel that pain slowly, slowly turning into hope.

-Sazaran

**Weighing in on Exercise

Another great Ghost Blog! This ghost has filled us in on the why's and why not's to exercise. "Weigh in" by giving them your thoughts on this post! -Nomz and Sazaran




Exercise…it’s a love/hate relationship!

This blog is about exercise (that nasty 8 letter word)…
I must start off by saying that I HATE TO EXERCISE. I HATE it with a passion. Some days I just want to *PUNCH* exercise square in the face!
I’m a 5-day/week exerciser…some early mornings and sometimes after work. I am consistent with my routine and never miss a day, ever. Most of my friends might think I have a ton of energy, ‘love’ to work out and some may think of me as their idol or inspiration. I am NONE of that. I H-A-T-E to exercise!!!
I exercise ONLY because, at my age (mid 40’s), I need to, consistently and for the ‘health of it’…
• I want a strong heart
• I want to live longer (God willing)
• I don’t want to wait until a doctor tells me I must lose weight
• I don’t want to be reliant on medicine for my heart or cholesterol
• I want to be strong to avoid everyday lifting/moving injuries
• I want to gain muscle mass, to offset bone loss
• I want to avoid unnecessary medical bills/costs
• Exercise clears the mind and helps me avoid depression
I hate exercise because:
• It tries to control my life
• Gets violent with me and abuses my body
• Make me sweat hard and get really stinky
• Keeps me from sleeping in or relaxing after a long day at work
• Controls my eating decisions
• Make me constantly sore and aching
• Makes me cry or curse sometimes
• Some days, I feel like I’m pushed so hard, I might die, literally
But, exercise does…..
• Allow me to splurge on my bad eating habits from time to time…yay!
• Makes me take a 2nd look in that mirror…rawrrr!
• Allows me to buy new clothes that fit!
• Makes me all around….a very happy person!

It has taken me many, many years of ups and down in weight, attitude, and self acceptance…to get my mind in control enough to be wrapped around that 8 letter word called ‘exercise’ (that I despise so very much!).
I STILL wake to my alarm at 5am and spend 30 seconds arguing out loud with myself (coming up with every excuse why I should stay in bed…i.e. ‘I’m tired’, ‘I can make it up another day’, ‘It won’t make a difference’, ‘There is a foot of fresh snow out there’, blah, blah…and I NEVER, EVER win. I always get out of bed and head to the gym.
Exercise will NEVER be easy.
You will NEVER love exercise.
DO IT…for your health…and start NOW!

“IF EXERCISE WAS EASY…EVERYONE WOULD BE ‘DOING IT’!!”

**Ghost Blogger

♫Things I Love About Eastern Colorado

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Boba!

A challenge for all you texture freaks out there (I belong to that group, FYI): Boba Tea. No really, it's one of those things that you will either hate or love. Me? I hated it for a few years; now, I love it. For my birthday, I would like a Boba maker. If they have those. You'll be my best.friend.ever. if you get me one.

So, what is this Boba, you ask?

Wiki says, "Boba tea, also called Bubble tea or simply Boba, is a tea beverage containing tapioca balls. It originated in Taiwan in the 1980s..." It's also called Pearl Milk Tea (which totally sounds like a mermaid drink, right?!). It comes any way: iced, blended or hot- I recommend blended- you can get it in a myriad of flavors: lavendar, green tea, honeydew, watermelon, strawberry, coffee, mocha, almond. You name it; they probably have it.

So, the texture issue: this large tapioca ball is gelatin and slimy (I do not use the word lightly, here, people) on the outside and slightly hard/slightly sweet on the inside. At first, it encouraged my gag reflex beyond humorous. I felt as if I were sucking down balls of snot. Lovely, eh? Now, though, it seems I can't get enough. I love it. I could have it everyday. It makes the perfect summer treat... and now that winter is upon us, it might be in competition with the seasonal eggnog latte.

Most coffee shops are starting to offer this cup full of win and the price will run you anywhere from three to five dollars. Which is normalish, right? Compared to the cost of Starbucks, anyway (and their drinks aren't even that cool).

So, like I said before, this is a challenge (to my dear co-blogger, NOMZ, especially) try Boba Tea. And let me know what you think. :)

I say, you say...

For those of you lovlies that are my faithful Facebook friends, you certainly have seen the recent rant I posted about the difference between "you're" and "your". I'm not naming names, but there are a few people who seem to confuse the two. Very nearly have I tossed my computer out the window when I see such errors.

So, I'm setting the record straight. And don't get all huffy, because I shall be talking about my own English conundrums with a request for help and/or clarification. This should please our professors and writers, eh Nomz? ;-)

First things first:

You're is a contraction. It is you and are combined for convenience (in my opinion). Examples: "When you're outside, please rake the leaves." or "You're quite the comedian!". If you aren't sure which to use in a sentence, try breaking it down. "You are quite the comedian!"

Your is the possessive form of you and can also be an adjective. So, when you use it, it will most always be talking about something in possession of someone. Example: "Is that your jacket?" or "I like your idea!" See how the two really cannot be interchangeable?

The biggest issue I have with this error is that it can cause some... confusion (for me, at least) when trying to read a sentence. Using the correct word is just as important as using a comma or period in the right place.

A-hem: other things.

~Its is possessive (like your) and it's is a combination of it and is.

~ The difference between "and I" or "and me" is a tough one. I've always remembered it this way: when you break the sentence down into two separate sentences, use the word that fits. Example: "This picture is of Tim and ___". Here, I would use "me" since the sentence would not make sence if it said "This picture is of I". Another example: "Tim and ___ are going to the mall." Here, I would use "I" since "Me is going to the mall" is incorrect. Tell me, English professionals, is this correct??

~Do I even need to get started on their, there and they're??!

So now, my issue(s). I, for some reason, have a horrible habit of putting the accent of "contribute" in the wrong place and I have no idea where I got it from. For once and for all, is it CONtribute or conTRIbute??? Do my British peeps say one instead of the other? I'm really trying to figure out where I picked up the word I use. The same goes for "distribute". When it comes down to it, I do not use grammar correctly all of the time. But I do try. So, if you see something I write that is not the way it should be, tell me! I promise I won't get offended and I'll try to remember the rules of proper English.

Oh, and do feel free to provide your own grammatical corrections here in our comments section. :)

Okay... nerdy rant over.

♫ Chewing on Shoes, and Advice

Sometimes, I look back at the way I was raised, and say self, whether you like it or not, there were some things that your parents were right about.

There were lots of things they said over and over again. Depending on my age at that time, I probably disagreed with the majority of them. Thank God, I was born normal. I’ll probably touch on a lot of them on this blog…obviously, they (being my parents) made me who I am.

A few to touch on today:

Broccoli, regardless of its tree-like appearance, actually does taste good…and…sadly…they were right when they said it was good for you. The more research I do on broccoli, the more I find that it’s loaded with Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Folic Acid, Calcium, and Fiber. It’s like a prenatal vitamin, only green, and less horse-pill like. Moral? Eat your trees. Cover them in cheese if you need to, but eat your trees.

Tomatoes: Cause Cancer.

Sigh. Ok, so that’s my own theory. It’s the one food that my mom will eat that the rest of us cannot seem to fit in to our mouths. And as much as the research tells me that they actually prevent cancer, I am holding to my theory that tomatoes.cause.cancer. Seriously, they’re like…juicy seeds wrapped in red leather. I’m pretty sure chewing on a muddy red high heel will give you the same nutritional value, and even taste the same or better.

Don’t eat too much candy, it’ll make you sick.

I’m pretty sure this is one of those things that every child believes is a mind game that parents use to steal your candy after you’ve gone to bed. And, being the smart kids that we are, test the theory after we move on to college. Sadly, this myth is not for the candy thieves, it’s completely true. Eat enough of your favorite candy, and the sugar actually seems to throw a little surprise party in your stomach.

Let’s dive deeper.

My parents told me all the time not to get lost in somebody too fast, and that I have to be completely happy and in love with myself, before I’d ever really find love or happiness with somebody else. I’ve been boy crazy since I was, literally, four years old. First kiss was with a guy named Jason under a trampoline, and it’s been a boy-crazed ride ever since. Every time I brought, or didn’t bring, a new boy around, I got the same talk. Nomz, you’re losing site of yourself again…this isn’t going to work… I was fast to scream: MYTH! BUT, they were right. Again. This is a big one for me. This is one of the ones I wish I would have learned at a younger age.

It took me losing a few incredible people, getting my heart stomped on and broken, and breaking a few myself, before catching on to this concept. Every time I got hurt, I’d leap in to another set of arms. Ah hem, notice I said arms. Not bed. I never found comfort in sex, please don’t assume I’m a hooker. ;) Kissing on the other hand….

The point is… I was stubborn enough these last few years that it took me making myself completely miserable, to find me. I was down there, at the very bottom…and once I found myself, I dug out of that hole, and figured out exactly how to make myself happy-regardless of who was or was not in my life, that’s when I found happy. I am happier today, right here, right now, than I ever have been. As much as I am surrounded by amazing people, I know so much of it is me making me happy…and with God in the driver’s seat, this is going to be one heckova ride. Between you and me…boys aren’t everything. If you can’t look in the mirror and like yourself for you, a boy is just going to make your reflection blurry-it won’t disappear.

Until you find yourself…you’re never gonna find anybody, entirely.

Yours Truly,
Nomz

Also: Eat your trees, chew on shoes, and go easy on the candy.