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  • I am a little cranky right now.


    You see, I can count on one hand the days that I have been able to sleep in over the last six months - today being one of them -  and what happens?  I am WIDE AWAKE at six am.  There is something dreadfully wrong in the universe when this happens folks.  Does this mean that I am turning into a *gasp* morning person?  That I am getting old and exhibiting those elderly tendencies like getting up VOLUNTARILY at the butt crack of dawn?  Yikes.  I hope not - I am too young to feel so old.  The very fact that I got up and immediately did a load of laundry and began straightening things in the bedroom is a fairly good indicator to me however, that this morphing into adulthood is indeed happening.

    Sigh.

    Anyway.

    Here is a fun story...last week on our family trip for apples/pumpkins, I was riding with my sister and b.i.l. and heard this great song on the radio in their car.  I hadn't heard it before due to the fact that I never listen to the radio - just the iPod in the car - and so I asked John who it was.  [he is kind of like the rain man of music - can tell you who it is, who wrote it, performed it, covered it, who produced it and what year - all kinds of random things like that]  Turns out it was KT Tunstall [who is currently playing on this page for your listening enjoyment], and I filed the information away thinking that one of these days I would purchase the CD - in fact, thinking it would be the very next purchase of music... 

    Thursday rolls around and I hadn't really thought about the CD too much - I was in the midst of a fairly awful work week, and after a late night at the store, got home around 12:30am...I checked my mail to find a package from amazon.com - which threw me off, because I knew I hadn't ordered anything from them recently, but it has my name on it.  wierd. 

    What should I find when opening the package but KT Tunstall staring right up at me, and a sweet note from my friend Jennifer wishing me a happy [early] birthday!  What a super fun surprise -  the best part for me?  That she can still read my mind from 1,000 miles away  

    Jennifer was my roommate for most of the time that I lived in Arkansas.  You could say that there is not a whole lot she does not know about me and my heart after five years of living in close proximity and often stressful circumstances [which I would not trade for anything.ever.]...and although it has been almost six years since we lived together, she still holds my heart close.  I love that, and am more grateful than I can say.

    So much more could be said about Jennifer, but I am going to wait until I can give you pictures to go with the stories!  Suffice it to say, I love her, and love being her friend.

    And I love my new CD.

    PS - hop on over to this girls site and wish her a happy 30th Birthday!

  • Hoorray for new checks, new friends, and new opportunities...

    Well - it is official - yesterday I recieved my new checks from the bank with my new Illinios address on them.    I did not expect for them to come so quickly, but they did - and it makes me smile.

    For those of you thinking to yourself 'did I miss something?' 'when did
    she move?' 'what the heck is going on?' 'are there protected posts on
    here that I am not seeing?' 'I've gotta go back and read her last posts
    to see what I missed'....

    Don't worry - you didn't miss anything - and while several of you know
    already, I have not officially talked about it here on xanga. 

    You see - I need change - have needed change for a long time.  Too
    long, in fact - I have been in a serious rut with work and life in
    general, and although I have been restless, I have also been fairly
    reluctant to change my circumstances - mostly due to fear. [I know, I
    know - can't live or make decisions with fear involved - I get that]

    Enter my precious friend Wendy - this amazing new friend of mine . 
    She and I have spent quite a bit of time together in the last few
    months.  She is super good for my heart, and has been instrumental
    in helping me to begin to see and really look at possibilities - that
    life can be different than it is currently, and that there is life
    beyond Wal-Mart and where I am at right now...

    So we started to look at new things - new possibilities together - just
    throwing out options and talking through different things.  So
    good.  The end result...

     I AM GOING BACK TO SCHOOL!!! 

    Beginning next summer I will be stepping down from my position at work,
    and going to part time - and starting classes full time at SIUE,
    staying with the Mucci clan part time....

    I am so excited...I want it to be NOW.  It took me a while to
    recognize it, but realized the other day 'this is what HOPE feels
    like'...I had forgotten...

    I have this little thing of establishing residency in the state of
    Illinios however, and that apparently takes 6 months - so I will have
    to wait until the summer session to begin - but once I start I am
    looking at only three years until I am finished with my masters...Sweet.

    Which brings me to my mail at my new address - my sweet friend [Wendy] called
    [and woke me up - which incidentally I did NOT mind -what a great way
    to wake up] to tell me that my checks had arrived at my new house - and that makes me
    happy.  It makes me even happier that she is so happy too - to be
    loved and wanted is a very good thing.  I am blessed to be loved
    and wanted by many.

    Thank you to my Wendy for taking a risk on a new friend, spending
    truckloads of time with me and hearing my heart, taking up residence
    there [in my heart], offering me a new [safe] place to land and to
    stay, and holding out new hope for me.  I am grateful - MTYEK...


  • I  feel and creak like I am eighty years old today . 
    Softball yesterday - lets's just say that while I am not the best super
    sporty girl, I played well and didn't embarass myself.  I went in
    without any expectations as far as what position I would play,
    etc...ended up as catcher because all of the other girls were too
    scared to do it   It didn't seem scary to me at all - so I must have been missing something, right? 

    I got some really cool pictures from the day that I will try to get in
    here the next couple of days.  The final result?  We won the
    first game (9-4), tied the second game (20-20)  - and lost the
    third game (9-27) - oh wait, that is not losing, that is being
    slaughtered.  Ah well - we played well as a team and had a great time .  More on that later.

    After spending all day on the ballfield, I went with another group of
    associates from my store to a trivia benefit for a local dog
    rescue.  If you have never been to a trivia night, you need to -
    you never realize how much you do not know until tested like
    that. 

    Who invented/patented the first goedesic dome structure?  [duh -
    ummmmm - I don't know]  How many holes are on a chinese checkers
    board? [who pays attention to things like that?]  If you take I-70
    West all the way to it's end at I-15, what state are you in? [that is
    somewhere by the coast, right?]  What is JRR Tolkien's first
    name?   [if it is not on the front of his books, he probably
    doesn't want anyone to know - it is a secret!]  What movie first
    introduced the audience to the concept of surround sound? 

    You get the picture.

    This afternoon my mom, brother Ben and his wife and girls, sister
    Hannah and her husband with baby Ian, and siblings Sam, Jannah, Jordan
    and Jesse all went over the river to Illinios on the ferry for our
    annual pumpkin fetching/apple picking/picnic eating day...  So
    good.  The weather was beautiful, and we all had a great time -
    got some great apples and pumpkins - then rounded out the day with a
    stop at Pere Marquette park. 

    Pere Marquette is a great state park in Illinois - located in the
    middle of the HUGE bluffs by the Mississippi river.  We always go
    to the top of the park to picnic, then stop by several of the lookout
    points for photo opportunities.  Then the competition begins -
    there is a mile and a quarter trail at one of the lookout points that
    goes down through massive amounts of wooded area [mostly downhill] and
    is kind of 'rugged'.  The designated driver proceeds to drop
    everyone who wants to do the trail at the top, and drives down to meet
    then at the lodge at the bottom.

    Usually we all race to the bottom [not as easy as it may sound btw],
    but this time it was just Sam, Jesse and I.  We took off running
    through the woods...and oh. my. goodness.  if I wasn't sore
    before, I am now.  Perhaps not the better part of wisdom, but I
    was super proud of myself for running a majority of the way [stopping
    now and again to tell Jesse that stopping was not an option - I'm mean
    that way, don't you know - if he wanted to run with the big kids, he
    better keep up - heartless really]  Anyway - we ran the trail in
    16 minutes - not great numbers, but in my humble opinion, still pretty
    good considering the condition of the trail...  Also great considering that there were a good many opportunities to fall and BREAK MY NECK - and didn't.

    Again, great pictures of the day, but I am not sure at what point I will get them posted. 

    I am off to ice my knees.


  • I impressed myself so much this morning - was congratulating myself on a successful couple of days of 'pseudo motherhood'...totally got everyone up and out the door - baby Max next door to the babysitter - everyone dressed, fed, with the proper stuff in their backpacks - their bags packed for the weekend - got them to school on time, and still made it to work with time to stop and get coffee for me and my boss [yes - they do say that I am a brown-noser, but I don't care - not true - I just love my boss].
    Now - before you go being all impressed, I feel the need to say that those kids are amazing - totally self sufficient really - as in they get up by themselves, feed themselves, and get all their own crap together...so really it is just a matter of asking if they have it all done, and coordinating things a bit.
    Still though - it felt good to get it all together and keep it together - like if I ever am a mom someday that I could totally handle it. [smile]
    Tonight is my little brother Jesse's birthday party - his actual birthday was last week, but his 'friends party' was this evening. Hard to believe that my last sibling has hit double digits [he is 10 this year]...the end of an era really. Kind of bittersweet.
    Anyway - with LOTS of little boys running around, I am sure that you can imagine the snatches of conversation overheard.

    Little boy to Jesse: 'So you don't have any ex- girlfriends?' [said in an unbelieving tone]
    Jesse: 'Nah - I left them all' [obviously he doesn't get the whole 'ex' thing - and where the heck did he come up with GIRLFRIENDS?'

    [group of boys oohing and ahhing over jesse's new bithday bike]
    Little boy: Oooohhhh - look! It has an anti-wedgy seat!' [the seat is one of the wider types with the center cut out]

    A good time was had by all - cake, presents - fire in the fire pit [what boy doesn't like fire?], smores, bobbing for apples [that is always fun to watch - and you know - when they all have their first teeth falling out and the new permanent ones growing in and are all big and bucktoothed, they can really grab those apples!]...fun, fun, fun.

    Tomorrow is the annual Wal-Mart softball tournament...I am thinking that I am slated for third base. GULP. Have I mentioned that I tend to AVOID organized sports because I tend to look like a total spaz? I am giving up my right to not look like a complete dork however, in the interest of having fun with some of the associates from my store. What is a little pride if it helps me to connect and have some fun with them? [at least that is what I am going to keep telling myself]

    I am sure that there will be pictures - if I can figure out a way, I will try and post them...

  • Staying with the Mucci kids for a couple of days - what a blast.  I was so looking forward to getting more 'hang time' with them, and so far it has been great...they are great kids...I like being the 'cool kid' that kids like to hang with. 

    Dinner conversation last night...[my thoughts in parenthesis]

    Josh - 'I can't believe your youngest sibling is only 10!'  [I can't believe you just used the word sibling ]
    Josh - 'you are 30, right?'  [thanks for reminding me!]
    Nick - 'but you are still younger than mom - she is 36' [wish you could have been there for me to smirk at Wendy - did I correct him and tell him you are 37?  No - I am cool like that]
    Josh - 'you look like you are 22 or something though'
    ...at this point I am feeling all young and smug...who knew a sudden change of conversation was ahead?...
    Josh - 'did they have TV when you were born?'
    ...so much for feeling young and smug...

     

     

  • Well -  It appears that congratulations are in
    order again...I am going to be an aunt again -  My sister Hannah
    called to tell me this evening that she and her husband are expecting
    again - the baby is due on my nephew Ian's birthday - they will be
    almost exactly two years apart. 
    We are super excited - you can never have too many babies around, I always say...

  • Bits of randomness...

    I just realized that I have written my last three posts when I was VERY
    TIRED....or at least I think I was since I signed off on every single
    one with some sort of reference to my bed or going there.  I hate
    repetition like that.  Note to self - blog at different times of
    the day so as not to bore yourself and the dear people reading.

    People do stupid things.  Today [October 1st] is the beginning of
    our 'Toyland' event at work.  In celebration [said with sarcasm
    dripping from every word] each store got a pre-prescribed amount of the
    new Tickle Me Elmo's in with warnings that they were not to be sold
    before 12:01am on the morning of the 1st, and that there is a limit of
    2 per person. 

    Let me tell you - he is cute - don't get me wrong...at some point, I am
    sure that I will own one of my own - he really is that cute.  I
    dare anyone to try watching him in action and not smile.  I think
    it is impossible.  We had a market meeting last week before his
    debut, and my market manager pulled one out to show us - upwards to 40
    professional adults here, mind you - we were all grinning and laughing
    like fools by the time the demonstration was over .  That is power, people.

    Anyway - I digress...so apparently this is going to be THE hot item of
    the holiday season, and as soon as our ad hit peoples mailboxes and
    newspapers, we started getting calls about how/when/where we were going
    to be selling them.  We were only shipped 24, so that meant that
    probably only the first 12 people in line were going to get Elmo's with
    the limit of 2 and all...

    The first person in line?  Came at NOON...NOON, folks - to wait in
    line for 12 hours to get 2 Elmo dolls for his grandkids.  [I still
    don't know if I believe that line or not, but he looked sincere]. 
    By the time I left around 5:30 or so, there were NINE people in line
    with seven hours still to wait.

    That is crazy.  And stupid.  And a waste of time.

    I talked to my sweet friend Tracy last night.  She is good for my heart and my spirit.

    The baby blanket is coming right along - if the  stupid computer
    were not acting as foolishly as it  is, I could post pictures of
    this nummy creation for you - but no...it persists in making my life
    miserable by refusing to do the things that I request.  
    It is so pretty - all yellow and green and orange and soft...makes me
    want to have a baby just to use it.  [don't worry all - no babies
    for me anytime soon - get your dander smoothed back down]...seriously
    though.  It is cool.

    I am craving ice cream right now - Godiva anyone?

    Today is the first day of my birthday month...the countdown begins - 27 days until my birthday. 

    On the birthday note - I don't know why I still persist in making my
    birthday a big deal, when the older I  get the more dissapointing
    they generally are...hmmmmmm.

    The exception was last year - I threw my own party and it was
    AWESOME.  It will be difficult for other birthdays to ever measure
    up...  
    However, with both my brother's baby, and my dear friend Laura's baby
    due on my birthday, perhaps there will be some baby joy to be
    had...that would be the best present ever.

    Blah, blah, blah....that's all...[for now]


  • Tomorrow is inventory day.

    [insert DUM DUM DUM]

    It is the 'make it or break it' point for retailers.

    Ugh

    I will be so glad this time tomorrow night when it is all over.

    I am off to bed - I have to be up in four hours...

  • The family is home.  Safe and sound.  We have
    looked at the pictures, and watched the endless video of the shrimp
    boats and off-shore oil rigs...my dad will forever be hearing about the
    fact that he got more [horrid] footage of the aforementioned boats and
    rigs than the family and the activities of the week.   Next
    time someone else is taking over the camera.  He is banned from
    the documentation of any more family events.  

    I missed how my family makes me laugh.  They are fun people.

    Best line of the night....we were all sitting in the living room
    tonight with television on [watching extreme home makeover],
    conversation going on - and the phone starts ringing.  There is
    much discussion about whether we should answer it or not [I am a big
    fan of NOT btw] and I finally say in a very loud voice ' WE DO NOT LIVE
    BY THE PHONE!!!'  [meaning of course that we do not have to answer
    the phone - we are not tied to it and it is okay to let it ring and the
    answering machine pick up]...there was a moment of silence before my
    brother Sam  added '...but by every word from the picture
    box'....[meaning the television]

    Think about it - if you catch the scriptural reference you get a prize. 

    Otherwise you will not think it is funny at all.

    I am off to bed - I am a tired girl tonight.
    [I miss my Mucci's]

  • Okay - perhaps not such a big deal to all of you more athletic and healthy people out there....but I actually ran a total of a mile and a half today.  I didn't do it all at once [as in, ran the first mile, then walked a quarter of a mile, then ran a quarter, walked a quarter, then ran the last quarter] - but nonetheless it was a total of a mile and a half.  I don't believe that I probably would have done it, had Wendy not been pushing me [and making me really cranky in the process - the last lap I told her it would probably be better not to say anything encouraging at all, cause I would probably end up hitting her]...but I am really, really glad that we did it now...

    Tonight is my last night in the Mucci house [at least for this week] .  My family should be getting in at some point here in the next 24 hours - I will get to see them and hug their necks when I get home from work tomorrow.  I am so glad that they are coming home - cannot wait to see the pictures and hear about all of the fun things that they did.  Let me just say though, that I am a little sad that I am leaving here too...it has been so great.  I may be one of the most blessed girls in the world to have so many places that feel like home - places where I know I am loved and safe and comfortable...  I know a lot of people who don't even have one place in the world like this, and without really even thinking it through I can come up with five places that feel like home.  That is an amazing thing. 

    Now that the cooler weather is here, I am starting to do the 'hunkering' in....[is that even a word?  I say it is, 'cause I use it all the time...] I have started my first crochet project of the fall/winter - it is a baby blanket, and is so incredibly soft and sweet....I can hardly stand it.  I will post pictures when it is finished.  It feels more like fall when I have a project like this to work on...

    I am off to see if I can find a pair of jeans - we are going shopping for the afternoon, and after the debacle that was the last shopping trip for jeans, I am a bit reluctant to try again....sigh.  But I need to, so I will...will I ever not care what my thighs look like in jeans?  Do grandmas still think about things like that?  I have to believe that they don't, and that there will be a point where I will not care either.   We shall see....