Fish Fry-Day Featurette: Wheel-Chair Mommy

I met this lovely woman during the Monday Mingle cruise and can I just tell you that her smile and demeanor is totally infectious. IN- FEC- TIOUS! (Can I stress that more?) She has a wonderful smile and is super cool. So I am sure the first and foremost question to most normal folks is "Is she really in a wheel-chair?" To which she is....and she has the cutest short vlog on MomTV about herself, so when you stalk her blog be sure to check out her super sweet video.

Also, I asked her about how she became bound....well I shouldn't say bound because this woman is in and out of her chair like a toddler in and out of their clothes. But I asked her how the accident happened and she sent me to her fabulous uncensored FAQ which answers all of our most "curious" questions. Admit it....you are curious. My husband was curious. So let the beautiful, happy (since she will slap you silly telling you that you make your own life happy), young, and strong Priscilla tell you her story and her fun blips here on my blog. Enjoy the sweets of Wheelchair Mommy!

• Tell me, why do you blog?

I blog as an extension to the baby books and I love connecting with other moms/women :)

• What is your real life job?

I stay at home with my 2 prince charming boys, William and Lucas!

• What is your favorite drink?

Mmmm.....Mexican Martini!!! TEQUILA!!

(Oh we would have to watch out.....whew...this woman and I would end  up closing a bar!)

• Where do you live in the world?

Texas (Yee Haw!! Sorry...LOL)

• Your favorite quote?

"Changed, but still the same" by me in 1999 after my wreck.

 (I love it! I think we are still the same people with a whole new outlook and perspective on life...you know....perception is reality.)

• What is your life motto?

Live to make yourself happy!! (Amen sister!)

• So...I had to ask...how long have you been paralyzed and have to get around by wheelchair?

I have been paralyzed for 10 years. The date was September 12, 1999. It was my first fall semester at college. I say first FALL because I also took a class over the summer. Yea, I’m a dork. Whatever.

• Can you feel....you know?

And for this one.....head on over to Priscilla's awesome blog and read more about her "life is what you make it" with her adorable boys and her super sweet husband who got her some sweet gifts for Valentine's Day.

Fish Fry-Day Featurette: Adventures in Juggling

I just love this woman...after my own heart I tell you that Laura and I could be wine soul sisters! She has a heart of gold and I was laughing so hard I was crying because I feel her on so many levels with life. This week's Fish Fry-Day Featurette is Laura from Adventures in Juggling. You might know her on Twitter as NICURNMama and we LURVE her!

• Tell me why you blog?

I blog because if I don't surely I will lose my mind. I am juggling a life filled with a husband in the midst of a dear-god-get-over-your-self mid-life crisis, 5 children at all ages and stages from young adult to adolescence to school age (with special needs), an amazing grand-baby girl whom I get to spoil, err, watch while her mama works, a career as a NICU RN where I get to cuddle babies, save lives and pursue my calling. What else would I be doing but juggling and blogging about.

•  What do you do in real life?

Silly rabbit....see above!

• Tell me your favorite drink; alcoholic or otherwise?

Water, red-red wine, diet coke. they all give my body, mind and soul exactly what they thirst for.

Let's seriously give her a big AMEN for that!

• Where have you lived in the US world where would you like to live again or move to?

Oh I am so well traveled...in my trailer trash girl mind...I was born in California, raised in western Pennsylvania where the dialect has its own special musicality...and vulgarity...and I settled back into northern Cali where I married, fell in love, pursued my career/passion, birthed 4 babies, adopted one more to complete the family circle and moved to the Central Valley of California to challenge my teenaged daughter, my politics and to afford home ownership.

 

• Favorite Quote?

Life is not measured by the breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away.

• Life Motto?

Um...my favorite quote. Plus my life is truly an adventure.

Now head on over to Laura's joint and feed her...seriously get her feed. I know I am since (I suck..she wasn't in my feed...I know slap me..okay that's enough...you are getting rough) reading through her posts. She is ever so strong and has a helluva sense of humor. God love a woman who only comes out stronger!

Want to be a Fry-Day Featurette with The Fish? Fill out my fast questions and let's have some fun! You don't even have to be a blogger to play along! This is to get to know you....are you a super sweeper, are you a mommy who has special needs children, how about are you a dad...a totally kick ass dad, maybe you are a college kid, or are you addicted to us crazy mommy blogs? Come tell me in the quick questionnaire! 

Thursday Tips and Tricks

I apologize for my scatter brain as I was trying to recall all the questions and topics from memory as the Dynamic Duo were invading. You can hear and see them in action...so if nothing else...this video is at least entertaining!





Again any questions regarding taxes, mortgages, you name it....I hope to vlog an answer for you. We can also explore the dark world of organizing! Yes...my OCD tendencies would LOVE to vlog about organizing and how to get organized. Let me know. Or heck...we can just vlog about whatever! Send me your questions and again be sure to fill out the form for the Featurette Friday!

I admit I am shallow

I feel I have failed to be honest on my blog. After a very strong discussion with The Chad I had the ultimate slap. I put on a happy face for the blog because in the event I post that my life is not all roses and rainbows....well let's face it...you would rather watch the damn news than read about some woman on the internet.

Truly my blog and persona are me, but to some degree they are lacking luster, a true persona that screams I am coming back for more on this blog. While I am not one to sensationalize by any means in the manner of feeding off of others pain or disadvantages for the fact to make me feel better I do feel like to be completely blunt.

Maybe my fear of rejection is what is holding me back in really laying everything out to tell you that I make fun of myself by calling myself little Miss Perfect. While I do TRY to do everything perfect....I am the most damaged human being I have had the pleasure to meet every single day. I fear being rejected because I am not perfect, because I really like to use the F word as a noun, adjective, conjunction, pronoun, and verb to name a few. I used to smoke. I like to drink when I am in a mood....which is actually rare but at least once a year I like to get a good buzz on that the next day I look around like....Um...who was that broad?

I also would like to get to know you. All 721 of you. Yes...even if that takes me years I would like to do it. A guest post from you at least once a week. You may think...has she completely lost it? But I haven't. I know so little about you as readers that I want to hear about you...an insight into your psyche, who you are, what makes you tick, unique, if you enter a helluva lot of giveaways or you are a fellow blogger or hey you like to just read blogs period I want to know.

So no more Little Miss Perfect from me...though she is my alter ego...be prepared for a whole new year of posts. Oh and yes I will still have some KICKIN' giveaways and what have you....but I want you to come here and read about some jaw dropping truths that say "sweet...I am so not alone!"

Please fill out my form for the guest posts....otherwise I will hunt your ass down and email it to you...and hound you weekly if not daily until you return it and I can feature you on my blog. Because that's how I roll.

Did We Need to Go There

My blog has never been one for controversy. I leave controversy to many face-to-face communications. Body language can be read and understood, as can eye movement, facial expressions, tone. Tone is often hard to communicate in writing. One must be a skilled author to have the finesse to emit tone in the conversation. So controversy as I said is left to the true verbal arena so as not to encounter miscommunications or to misunderstand.

So my tone is about to go to a beaten path NEVER taken before. EVER. I will probably lose blog followers and I am deeply sorry. I will not yield nor apologize for my personal life, my personal decisions, something that completely affects me, with the exception of my husband as he was a very intricate part of my life in this decision.


Once upon a Thanksgiving in 2009 a young woman who spent two days prepping, cleaning, cooking and baking, not to mention caring for her three children. Might I add, two of which are twins in case you are just tuning into the Fish Film @ 11, and I work a full-time job, a real. full time job. Not just the job of mom, you see that is my first job, my real job is my third job, my second job is wife, and my fourth job is business owner. So you see I truly have FOUR FULL time jobs....ah hell five if you add all the housework. So back to it, I was cleaning up after a much enjoyed pie hole stuffing event. Family was gathered on my couch, every seat taken,  reading Black Friday ads, friends were conversing, laughs shared abound. As the crowd began to simmer and disperse I thought I need to call my dear friend who so lovingly called to share in her thanks and love on this day. But in addition to the love to be shared was the hate that this ugly world can bring. Not hate by my friend, the hate of strangers, the hate of those who put up a loving facade to avoid confrontation, the hate spewed behind anonymity to win out in some delusional war of words.

Please be advised that the images you are about to see are repulsive, obscene, disgusting, and horrid. All directed AT ME. I debated on posting these images and by rehashing information I so prayed to disappear, but the glutton in me took pictures of the proof of hate generated by people.

For privacy reasons the images were removed and can only be viewed by invitation only. 

As I said. I apologize for any and ALL of you to read this ugliness. I was so physically ill on Thursday I could barely sleep. I was shaking, I was borderline inconsolable. My husband, bless his heart, reassured me to ignore this. It would go away. It did not. The pain did not go away. These people have NOT. GONE. AWAY! The Twitter account STILL EXISTS!!! I thought the account had been deleted, however, I was wrong and hatred breeds and multiplies and yet another account can be created in anonymity so as to further the cause of hatred.

Now here is my beef. I have no problem with someone gossiping at or about me. Whatever, sticks and stones okay. But a FULL ON CHARACTER ASSASSINATION will make this Lionesses blood boil! My sweet little guppy fish exterior will molt into the full on lion bitch I am! What else....NO ONE. I do stress NO ONE has any of this information in the blogging community...oh wait. With the single exception of my sister.

YES. You know her. Brittany Greer. Brittany Hudson Greer over @ The Greer 5.

My flesh and blood. I had attempted to try to keep this between the family. A family feud that she clearly took too far in divulging my personal information to sheer strangers for their personal use to attack me. To belittle, to judge, to bring me shame, to destroy my character, to inflict pain, I can go on and on. Clearly a reprimandable offense correct? One might think considering that a third party went so far as to assassinate my good character, to attempt to destroy my friendships, my networkings, or maybe because the cretin who created this account thought it may be funny to bring pain to someone such as me. If you believe in this.....keep on being a subscriber to your community that is "generously" run and operated by Mom Dot. Because my information seems to have been so "generously" shared and detailed...although I will state that the details in these tweets are clearly misinformed, out of time line, and clearly NONE OF ANYONE'S FUCKING BUSINESS. I also encourage you to continue to be a member of a community that does love to breed controversy as my personal life so clearly became a hot topic in a forum for enjoyment. Or hell maybe just in an email but regardless, the two involved ARE members, very active members of that community. Which further suggests that the negative behavior of public humiliation, belittling and degradation is A FUCKING OKAY with these people. I would love to publicly humiliate...man...I would be such a big girl to do that.

To post pictures of random strangers and discuss their situations may they be unfortunate with other random strangers and call it "fun" or "comedic" hell albeit fucking hysterical right...just a joke.

FUCK YOU and you know who you are. Are those tweets a fucking joke to any of you? If so....I dare you to leave me your FULL NAME to leave up for public humiliation. I also dare.....no....I challenge the lowly individual who so PROUDLY created this account with the original intentions of bashing MY friend Kristin, whether you like her or not, who then decided to turn the object of their desire to me...I CHALLENGE you to come to my blog and apologize to me. Furthermore I CHALLENGE the cretin and or CRETINS who acted in such a distasteful, vulgar, unbecoming, and plebian manner to PUBLICLY APOLOGIZE to myself and Kristin on Twitter and on a blog post that shall stay posted for AN ENTIRE WEEK. To allow those who read it to show their disdain to you. To show you how much of an uncouthful coward you were and are for hiding behind anonymity, your keyboard, and indecency. I also challenge Miss "I am the Community and this is my blog" so shoot me an email...we'll discuss the details like adults.

Who's Got Your Back

Name three people. THREE. Influential or not, name three people in your life that will always, and I mean always have your back. Not three people you can count on for a beer, a cup of sugar, not those types, but THREE strong, permanent people in your life that you can rely on at all times.

Hard to do?

If you can name THREE people without hesitation and one of those is not your "lord and savior" then chances are you have found the three strongest people in your life and will have your back at all times. These individuals will not always bail you out of jail, lend you sugar, enjoy a pint at your local pub, these (at the very least) three people will have your back in some of the best and the worst low down times in your life.

The time and place of our world now is a setting of instant gratification, our worst times can be relieved at the quick stroke of  a keyboard or the click of the mouse, a pill, or a bottle, even our best of times are celebrated in such a way where the intimacy of person to person relations is completely removed.

Long gone are the days of having to thumb your way through the black laden and dyed yellow paper of an actual physical yellow pages, the warm printed scent of inked, dusty paper. Long gone are the days of nights for coffee, long chats on the phone often resulting in exorbitant phone charges and fees. Long gone are the days of an actual face-to-face interview, conversation, or meeting.

We have webinars, Twitter, conference call interviews with panelists, email, blogs, texts, and IM (Instant Messenger).

Truth be told I attended a function held by a local fellow blogger here in Phoenix, Kelly Loubet, you know her on Twitter as @Childhood and I was nervous. I. was. nervous. Why? Because I was actually going to meet face-to-face with someone who I had only acquainted myself with online. I was nervous and ecstatic all at once. The experience could probably compare to the first day of school or a mom date (moms night out). We held good conversation for being so late and only really talking online. I thoroughly enjoyed actually meeting someone who I had only met online. A thrill. A completely new realm for me.

My instance of meeting Kelly is out of the ordinary to some, even for myself. I have always had fresh meetings with people I had never met before through mutual acquantainces or friends, a meeting with someone that I had met online was very foreign, scary, new, exciting and wonderful all at the same time. Some people spend their entire existences talking only online, never engaging in face-to-face moments or settings, but rather a proverbial sea of type-written text.  However, others do meet in a standard fashion, some positive, others not as positive. But one would have to wonder, have we really lost the personable touch, the guarantee of the people we meet that certain individuals may be subliminally and quite possibly divinely chosen to be our guardians, the ones who always have our backs or maybe just friends, casual acquantainces, best friends, future colleagues, networking associates.

I recently experienced a tragic loss. A loss I have never felt, experienced, and I know more are coming in my life, I am bracing for these losses. I did not know who to turn to first in my grief, in my loss, who did I pour my heart and soul to, WHO had MY BACK?

1. My husband. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt I married my best friend. I turned in my shock, my awe, my silenced sadness and grief. Burning eyes and breaking heart. The empty filling my chest. The inability to take a full breath as if the weight of the world was placed on my chest. The slow taste of bile rising in my throat with every swallow I took in my grief.

2. My step-dad. I drove to my mothers the night of my loss. A loss truly that I did not share alone, shared truly with some many others, but all I felt was my pain, and I needed to be with my family. On my way to my mother's house I picked her up from a gathering she was at with my step-dad. I needed my mother, her aura of comfort and the consciousness of "everything will be okay" even though every cell in my body felt otherwise. She was at a gathering with my step-dad. We waved our hellos as I chauffeured my mother to her house, but I knew I had to stop. I honked the horn got out of the car and ran into the arms of my step-dad. I needed a hug. I knew I didn't have to say a word. I never have had to say much to him, he knew. He knew my pain, he knew my loss, he knew I needed his strength and that he always had my back. Despite all of our differences, pains, and angst's we have shared together, he has always had my back.

3. Jen. Our friendship began as a "friend of a friend" but as time has passed a bond has developed. One I had not ever truly taken notice. I have found in my growing age that I do a lot more watching, listening, I am more aware. I became more aware of the bond I had formed with my friend. That her pain that she felt, is feeling, is still reeling to control as waves splash over her from time to time, are now my pain. The burning emptiness, the drive in life that we both share, our unyielding love and loyalty to our friends and family, she and I are one in the same. Unlimited amounts of time can pass and we would never know any different. I knew at this point in my life that Jen had my back. I KNEW I could confide in her at all levels. No matter what. Day or night, even if I never did confess my deepest confidences, I knew I always could.

I am also lucky enough to share a growing bond with a few groups of women on different spectrums of my life. More and more as time passes and with each encounter, I know, I can count on these women. But sadness will wave over me that the people I thought I could confess to are not who they appear to be. Blood is not always thicker than water and those bonds, quite frankly are saddening. With the loss of my dear love, my grandfather, I too lost dream. That one day a family would be united. At the services I watched. I watched generations of family bonded by blood and divided otherwise. Knowing that the other did not have their back, generations of siblings and parents, children and grandchildren, bonded and divided. I wasn't sure what really was more wrenching, the pain in the loss of my family patriarch or the loss of ties, bonds, love because you knew no other because of the genial ties that bind. Saddened too because of the lack of connections. Our family had now become a network, "just Facebook me," "send me a text," "tweet me," "email me" the time felt as if we no longer had that connection. We now were just rolled into the sea of social networking, no longer a famillial unit, but networkers within our own genial lines.

So when you think you know who has your back you might possibly be mistaken. In times of loss and greatest successes do you know who has your back, who shares in your joy, knows your pain. The sixth sense is always the gut instinct, your gut will tell you of friends and foes, confirm your fears and doubts, and will enforce that the human touch, the human interaction, the ability to sympathize and empathize are beyond more than an email, a text, a Tweet. Something very few can exhibit personally and virtually.

With that I am blessed to know that "durdles" will mean more. A laugh is the cure for the soul. Not only do we have friendships but we have been chosen as the ones to watch each others back. These fabulous individuals just know. They know your fears and doubts, give you a hand up when you are down, respect you.
And we know who's got your back.

My Conversation

The virtual diary. The Weblog of old and blog of new. A typepad diary to release inner demons, woe on politics, spew nonsense on the grandest scales, possibly invent a new comedy facet even Shakespeare could revel.

Diaries are not always meant to be read while others are published; some are for shock value, some are for reciprocal relations (not feeling alone in the world), and some are just written diarrhea that communicate nothing but allow us something else to stare aimlessly into a monitor.

While I am not "expert," self-proclaimed "guru," or self-proclaimed "top blogger" I do claim to be full of shit. Honestly. I have a lot of minutiae in my life that has molded me into the productive human being I am today. For example, I have been laboring in the employment arena for over 15 years. I am also an adult-child of an alcoholic. You want to know about alcoholism and how the "disease" (for lack of a better word) can destroy a family ask me so, I can tell you first hand. I can also share with you the art of being proactive, rather than reactive. Although sometimes reactions can be fun if you really want to spice up your dull suburban life. Other experiences include the loss of lives, lives I took part in creating but clearly an upperhand had other plans beyond my control. Experience life on drugs, the detox, share how even a prescription drug to keep you from feeling nuts can send you into a downward life spiral of dementia, then rising again anew.

Sometimes my blog makes sense. Sometimes my blog is a surprise of epic proportions where I can show the Skittle rainbow and then taketh away by showing you the dark depths of an inner child scorned by hurt and deception, smoke and mirrors. Sometimes I engage you in a comedic touch and others I attempt to engage you in a conversation and they aren't always superficial or "socially acceptable."  I also am in no way attempting to win any award, although I have some friends that I cherish who think I invented sliced bread and award me so, for them, I am full of heart, eternally grateful. (aka Ally,

Which brings me to a blog post I read today from a bloggy friend of mine who feels she is not of influence. What is influence really? Influence as I understand the meaning is that an action will have an effect. Sounds scientific...possibly not. I look at influence and the laws of cause and effect from a Buddhist standpoint.  For every cause there is an effect. Example: A lonely cow is in her field, she sees a herd pass, she joins the herd. The cause a herd passes your path, the effect, you become part of the cattle. (see where I am heading)

For example, the effect of turtling (hanging in one spot and one spot alone) where the flow of any traffic is impeded, the effect is that traffic will begin to gather around. That is not a gravitational pull, but your wide ass obstaining from moving, thus preventing in some cases bloggy constipation. However, if you act as a honey bee, visiting flower here and flower there, the results may not be immediate, but the effect is cross pollination, pollination period, the want of the flowers, for you the honey bee, to return each and every time. I felt my bloggy friend is very much the honey bee, while others are turtling excrements merely taking up space.She is the steady and constant bee on her pollination route, and one season soon, she will reap the rewards of all she has sown.

Blogs, emails, posts, Tweets, texts, and phone calls can all be a conversation. Short and sweet. Long and meaningful, or merely scripted fum is chum or is it Chum is Fum for the masses to gobble. (Yes that is a SpongeBob reference.....) Either way, the influence is the effect that is caused by what was said, how did you resonate in that individual (the cause), good or bad, he or she is clearly reaching for conversation, whether you choose to listen or answer proactively is up to you, because I see that both listening and proactive responses are participation in a conversation. You cannot converse if someone is not listening, and even when you think you are alone in your conversation, someone, just someone may be listening. Hold steady, hold true, and do not lose your love and feeling for your conversation. The cause of conversation is in effect influence.

I Love Casey Deuce

Have you ever seen  A Couch With a View?

Well you ought to! I just love this woman....and Casey....this is for you!

Okay, no really....here is the video!

I Love Casey Deuce!! from Karie Herring on Vimeo.

Picking

Like we have always said here at The Five Fish, some Jedi mind trick wisdom:

You can pick your nose

& You can pick your friends

BUT YOU CAN'T PICK YOUR FRIENDS NOSE!!

Dedicated to my awesome friends. (You know who you are)

Friday's Feast with Cajoh

Hey Folks today is Friday and to be honest....I am going to take a snooze a roo! A little me time today and this weekend with the fam and get caught up on some much needed projects to be handled!

But enough of me....please go check out Mr. Cajoh who is wittingly funny, super nerd smart in the coolest way EVER and he has today's Friday Feast! With lots of YUMMO-O good recipes from other bloggers and himself!

Go share in the fun and post your recipes to him and play along!

A Day Made Better, For a Phoenix Teacher

OfficeMax developed a program in 2007 that helps erase teacher funded classroom, that program is called "A Day Made Better," Office Max teamed with Adopt-A-Classroom to aid teachers for supplies for classrooms. This program is so much more than just donations for a teacher, this is to help enrich the lives of our children and is a tremendous movement. For more information go HERE.

I got involved with A Day Made Better and Office Max by participating in the Girls Night Out on Twitter with Jyl Pattee of MomItForward. I have to say that was a great party! But on top of the Twitter party, I had the opportunity to go party for a teacher with Kelly Loubet. Have you met Kelly? If not, you should! She is a heck of a woman with a big heart, a fellow Arizonan, Phoenician, and blogger..ya herd! She is helping her daughter's kindergarten teacher, who was nominated, to enjoy A Day Made Better!

On Saturday October 3rd Kelly held a soiree at Scrap Happy Sisters in Glendale so we could "scrap it up" in, what I have to say is the coolest scrapbooking store EVA eat some YUMMY Organic pizza from ZPizza, guzzle gallons of water and wine, and have a great time for a great cause! But don't let me ruin the good time for you! Be sure to go Tweet up Kelly and read her story over at Whrrl!

Thanks so much Kelly, I had a great time at the party (and our super cool after-party at Applebees) and I am glad I could help be a part of your Adopt-A-Classroom and A Day Made Better with OfficeMax!

BIG THANKS to Office Max and Adopt-A-Classroom to help erase teacher funded classrooms!

The Five Fish Welcome You, Mona, and Moxie Media to Arizona!

Hey everyone I am Mrs. Fish, number Two Fish of the Five Fish, and you know me as Karie!

Welcome everyone to my great state of Arizona where myself and my kids are natives! In fact, my kids are fifth generation Arizona residents and third generation Natives! I was dancing around like a teen so honored and thrilled when Francesca and her Moxie team asked if I wanted to play along and host Mona for a tour of the states and the bloggers who live around the U.S. What fun to make Arizona a stop along the way! We took Mona around town and around the state with us. Please enjoy the sights that Mona will be sharing with you including my quick Vlog entry.

(Beware...totally unscripted, unrehearsed, pulled out of my arse...

since that's how I roll...with the MOXIE baby)

Mona Trip Vlog from Karie Herring on Vimeo.

Some fun facts about the state of Arizona and our travels with Mona:

• 48th State to the Union. Dedicated on February 14, 1912. So the state is young and HOT! Wewt!
• Home to the Grand Canyon, the Mojave, Sonoran, and Painted Desert, & Meteor Crater to name a few
  
• Home to Cactus League Spring Training and 14 MLB teams that train here(and adding more!)
• The World Series Champs Arizona Diamondbacks
• NFL National League Champs Arizona Cardinals
• Five Major Interstate Highways and 14 US Highways
• Three State Universities, NAU, UofA, and ASU
• Home of the Saguaro Cactus which is also a federally protected plant here in Arizona
• Some of the largest copper mines are found here (hence the name the Copper State)
• We have skiing in a variety of climates from water skiing less than 20 minutes away to snow skiing just over two hours away.
• Arizona has the largest Private air museum that Mona experienced with the kids. She was in awe with all her moxie that others can and have shown such great courage.
  

I won't ruin any more for you...Just come visit our beautiful state and see for yourself! Now here is a little slide show of all the wonderful things we did with Mona while she was here with the Fish in Arizona!

Moxie Movie from Karie Herring on Vimeo.

Thanks again Francesca and Kacey and Moxie Media Girls: Angie, Kathy, Jill, and Laura this has been a wonderful trip and opportunity and I am glad to be a part of your new venture with Moxie Media!

Am I living in a Hitchcock Movie

I wonder this so many times while cruising through the blogosphere. I guess I am blessed, lucky, per chance maybe that I have a great network of readers. Bloggers that truly have great content. I made a conscious decision the other day to "weed out" some true bullshit. Stuff that I was following for the sake of following but did not enjoy the content.

I am finding more like that everyday.

I kept my very special reads....who lately I have failed to comment....but at least I see them on Facebook so at least I can keep in touch that way, but I had other reads that were quite frankly airing on the side of feeling chagrin. You know that feeling....the one where it is like....SHEESH, are we going to beat that horse again. Or are we past that yet? I mean I truly feel like I am in an Alfred Hitchcock twist of the Twilight Zone because my bloggers that I did enjoy are now part of the disease infested bloggers that I did not enjoy. The blase ones who think they are superior and really they are no different, they just have a larger bank account and bigger PR backing. The ones who just want to wreak of misery and bullshit about "OMG, Girl, did you see what she wrote on her blog?" and the "Unt uh, no she didn't...I am so with her...I am so sick of that."

When did blogs turn into high school?

A bunch of women. Grown. Child rearing. Child bearing. Grandmotherly. Women. Who act like a bunch of juvenile brats? I guess like I said I was stuck in Smallville reading about how other mom's were struggling to maintain a level of sane like I was everyday. Frustrated about what to cook because frankly the day sucked and Pizza Hut, Papa Johns, Dominos, heck Taco Bell seemed more tantalizing than cooking. I was in Smallville enjoying the simple things of being a mom, the complex, the ordinary, the extraordinary, the fun, the sorrow, the laughs!! So when the hell did blogs turn into a "Well I am hanging with the cool chick and we are going to do this and take a stand" and when did women, who all share the same passions turn into enemies. Not even frenemies...well some, but not all. Was I in the twilight zone?

I guess this was my reason for not blogging either, other than my desire to read. To reconnect with my family and get through this hump of school and get back into a grind, a groove, the routine of life with my school aged son and now toddler twins!

I'm really curious if anyone knows what the deal is with blogs, with the bloggers? What happened to leaving well enough alone?

Awarded

When I began my journey of blogging a few years ago I had no idea how rewarding a simple blog post could be. I would post for the sheer fact of updating family, and then I got into how I could share more than just what the kids were doing....what I was doing. How I was coping as a mother. I finally found a voice. With my voice I have found many other voices in this journey. Women with the same struggles, victories, and let downs as myself. I have also met women with some of the greatest courage and strength and light that burn into me like the daily sun and I yearn for more with these women, they are truly superb. I have received some awards that really turned my day around.

I was having a crap-tastic day yesterday and my dear bloggy friends, who one day I will meet in person, either by road trip, a conference, or for the hell of it and we all run off to Vegas leaving our husbands with the kids, but these dear friends gave me some really great awards that mean a lot to me and I hope they mean just as much to those who will also receive them.


This award so means a lot to know that I inspire another mom, woman, and bloggy friend! Stacie I love you my friend, you are courageous and genuine and I love you for that and thank you so much for this award!! So here are the deets with this award and who I will be sharing with since Stacie already passed this on to me:

• Blog about this award linking to the person who awarded it to you.
• Share the award with 10 other bloggers who inspire you.
• Comment on their blog directing them here: http://tiny.cc/BlogItForward541 so that they may blog it forward and grab the code for the button.

My award winners would be endless but here are some ladies who inspire me and show me how amazing a woman I can be because of their unbeknownst inspiration:

• Melissa @ Rock and Drool: You taught me to keep my voice, no matter what. Your raw, bold faced honesty keeps me laughing and wanting more. Have fun @ BlogHer my friend.
• Kadi @ Womb at the Innsane but now she is focusing on Haute Cowgirl and Womb To Bloom: Kadi you are amazing, for a woman the same age as me I am in awe of how well you keep your shit together sister and for all that you do! Amazing!
• Shelley @ I'm Still Standing After All This Time: Shelley you are a heck of a woman with strength and courage and the will to fight adversity like no other. Your skills as a special needs mom blow my mind. You are a class act!
• Eileen @ Sane Without Drugs: You are my sister from another mother! You keep me laughing and coming back for more....are you my dealer?! Shhhh, I won't tell!
• Theta Mom! You are one awesome woman and a total light in life. I can't even describe more! You are fantastic!
• Trudy @ Third Time's a Charm: You are a gem my sister! All you have overcome and where you are today...stand proud as you should be. You are a shining light!
• Veronica @ Another Suburban Mom: Oh my woman, you show women everywhere the power of beauty and sex appeal! Love ya!

Now I also received two other awards from my friend Stacie @ Super Mommy to the Rescue and also from Theta Mom and they are these lovely awards!!

I have to pass these on so I am just going to name a few because I think these readers and bloggers are absolutely LOVELY and have tons of class character that I enjoy reading.

• Nicole, but she goes by Nikki. She is just awesome, love her reads.
• My Sister Brittany, she is lovely and I love her.
• My other sister Nicole, because I know she felt all sorts of guilt for not making my graduation but I totally understand so wanted to share some love with her.
• Modern Mom, she is one lovely lady and filled with class and sass. Love her!
• Jayne @ Misplaced City Girl. I love her, her foodie habits are about as quirky as mine...plus she is reviewing and giving away my soaps! Be sure to go check her out.
• Blueviolet @ A Nut in A Nutshell. She is a riot, and back to blogging, I do not think she knew how much she was missed. So here you go my bloggy friend!
• Beth @ Be Careful What you Wish For! My other sister from another mother who totally gets me. She definitely deserves the award! Lovely and sane....with kids!!
• Mel @ The Lotus Pages who carries a calm and lovely demeanor at all times. She is my zen and my long distance BFF who one day I will knock on the door to her flat in Malta and we shall drink, eat and be merry together!!
• Momma Young who can make a girl feel like home in the bloggy world with strangers. You are my mother hen of the welcome wagon! Love you!
• Lizz @ One Nerve Left who again....a sister from another mother. Her tweets and blogging are just awesome and shes just a great all around bloggy friend!
• Sherry @ A Little Fun with Me and Lu is an inspiration to moms who lack patience!! Go check her out and all her craft fun with Lu! She is just awesome!!
  
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So there is my short list for now...like I said I would be here ALL DAY listing my lovelies! Which I have lots of lovelies that I read, comment, and stalk. Share the love ladies! I know I would if I had enough energy, daylight, and no gnomes pulling at my legs to run off to your blogs and share the awarded love! So know, if I did not mention you....I love you!! DEARLY!!

Getting to Know You

I just love Beth, she totally gets me...not many people get me. Which is weird..I am an open book, my heart on my sleeve, behind a large bicep mind you, but seriously I tell the story, and my story, how the story goes. No extra, no fluff, no lube, just raw and unadulterated. Some like me that way, others don't. My purpose is not to make them happy, just to make me happy.

So onto this very fun meme that I love. I love memes. Today (Wednesday...I started this Wednesday....now its almost Friday), I was feeling super lazy. No ambition to do anything else other than work, no cleaning, no nada, not even a Wordful/Wordless Wednesday meme...I am behind (as today is Thursday almost Friday). I suck. I have a funk I guess. But I read this meme and got out of my funk. OH, and Stacie gave me an award...so I get to go share that too! OYE, I am behind!! I wub joo both!!

Here goes and all the rules right?

1. Respond and rework; answer the questions on your blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your invention, add one more question of your own.
2. Tag other people.Sounds simple enough, right?

What is your current obsession?
Organizing...oh wait...I always do that. Blogging, posting on other blogs before they post a comment on mine so I don't look like such a slacker.
What are you wearing today?
I was wearing a Polo v-neck cotton top and knicker bockers. (Do they still call them that?)
What’s for dinner?
I grilled brisket....I love to grill. With BBQ ranch style beans, salad, and pasta salad.
What would you eat for your last meal?
What are you listening to right now?
My appliances (dishwasher and washing machine, and DH watch Burn Notice...so want to watch it...thank goodness for DVR)
If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
Malta, I keep seeing Melissa's beautiful photos and I am in envy of the scenery, the beautiful cathedrals, the ambiance.
Which language do you want to learn?
Latin...easy peasy. I am so non-conforming with the whole language learning thing.
What do you love most about where you currently live?
My family is here, I can see them when I want and ignore them when I want. Plus its my home state....who doesn't love a Saguaro cactus in their yard. Eh eh, awesome!
What style is your current home decorated in?
Craftsman. The exterior is very Cape Cod with a Frank Lloyd Wright feel with the windows and front door. The interior is very warm and bold, lots of modern art (faux of course...I'm down with that) Monet, Van Gogh, Kadinsky, a few original oils.
If you were a time traveler what era would you live in?
1930's, I am very old school that way. I know right? Who would have thunk?
What is your favorite color?
RED
What is your favorite piece of clothing in your own wardrobe?
My little black dress and Ralph Lauren pumps that I bought off Ebay that totally rock.
What were you doing ten years ago?
Working like a dog in Albuquerque...hated it! Loved the money....hated the hours.
If you had $300 now, what would you spend it on?
Clothes for me and the gnomes. Back to school, hello? We would hit Goodwill and do some power thrift shopping. I love a great bargain and a great deal. Plus, going green!
What are you going to do after this?
Eat a snack or go to bed.....still deciding.
What are your favorite films?
Lonesome Dove, sappy movies, the classics, great comedies, I love movies.
Your favorite books?
Die hard Mary Higgins Clark fan, self help books, the Twilight Series, Tolkien (love the Hobbit), I love to read.
Do you collect anything?
Enemies and friends...no just kidding. I used to collect snow globes, these horse statues that are hand painted, art, I'm a geek that way.
What makes you follow a blog?
Respect, if they follow me, I follow back. I also love a good read, I have an ENORMOUS blog list.
What was the most enjoyable thing you did today?
I read my son a few pages from his book and helped him to learn to read. That is just awesome!
Ann's Question:What makes you comment on a blog?
Anything, it's my way of saying HI, checking out your blog, here is some comment love.
Amy's Question:What is your favorite thing to do when you have some free time?
READ! Relax, get a pedicure, maybe a manicure, and play with my kids.
Annissa's Question:As you know I home school -- If you could would you? Do you agree with home schooling?
For sure I would home school, but I think right now Big G needs the school interaction and if I see that he falters or is not getting enough from the curriculum then I would pull him out. Otherwise I agree with both schooling options.
Tonya's Question:What is a talent you wished you had?
The ability to not speak up sooo much. I just blurt out the truth and statements sometimes. I do think about what I say, but I guess I should be more sheepish or is it a leming, and not say anything.
Kyooty's Question: If you could be any other animal other then Human, what would you be?
A dog, maybe a horse, or a cheetah
Carrin's Question: Rush just told me that by 2042, white people will be the minority. Do you believe that? Would that be a big deal to you?
Who the EFF listens to Rush Limbaugh...if you are talking Rush the band...sure I could believe it. But some WHITE dude who is more annoying than that Sham Wow guy...seriously. Who cares who is and is not the minority? I thought we were all equal. (Stepping off the soap box)
isabel's Question: Would you want your blog to be as popular as Dooce? What would be some of the pros and cons?
No I wouldn't want to be that popular. I wouldn't want to think that I lost myself or my true audience. I love the small group of people I deal with, thats real and I appreciate my blog so much more because of that.
Beth's Question: What made you start blogging in the first place?
I started blogging to keep my family up to date on my gnomes and what was going on with DH and I since at the time a LOT of family lived far away. Now, not so much...or I don't care that they live far away....and I don't care if they read my blog. LOL Now I blog because I found that I have a fantastic outlet and a FABULOUS network of women who go through the same minutiae I do and other women, mom's and Dad's do all day, everyday and its nice to know that when you are home with your gnomes all day that others feel the same way!

I am not sure who to pass this onto....I am just glad that Beth helped me out of my funk. Now I just get to post the funnies and poopies of my funk! LOL

The Phoenix Rises

With every life there is death. The story and life of the Phoenix is my favorite. Not only for the immortality but for the story that the Phoenix seems to die a painful death in it's very own flames, and rises anew from it's ashes. Today, I feel like the Phoenix.

I created a very painful death for a part of my life, for personal relationships that exist in my life, some with bearing, others with no bearing, so no real loss, however a death of me nonetheless. As I said before a painful death, one I did not want to experience, but one I did bring upon myself.

The silver lining to all of this is I am risen anew.

I have seen the err of my ways, I have learned a powerful and valuable lesson and lessons. I have gained irreplaceable friendships in this forum that I cherish to every end and they are guiding me, sharing with me, feeling with me. They too share the experiences I do on so many levels. Which is the best part about blogging, is not being alone, knowing that being at home with your kids all day that other mothers share the exact same triumphs, failures, losses, and excitement.

So here I am before you with my fledgling wings, ready to fly again. Having risen from my own fiery death, molten in my own ashes, to rise and have a life of rebirth in my blog, in my writing, and in my life. My lessons learned:

• Know your audience. I from now on will no longer post anything beyond my immediate family or the family that blogs together (sister, sister, etc).
  
• Know your friends and know your enemies, sometimes the friend is a foe.
• Never regret (which I never did, but started to, if you regret, you regret the lesson learned or fail to learn it altogether)
• Never apologize for your feelings, only apologize for hurtful actions, not the hurtful truth.

With that I am creating a new blog, completely private which I love. I will invite readers of my choosing or those who want to read it, or maybe, an idea I was kicking around in the shower, a blog by invitation only where we can share all the crap we are afraid to share anywhere else in a private, trusting, secure forum, we write what we want with no fear of reprisal or retaliation. If you are interested in becoming an author or reader please feel free to email me.
The title is rightfully titled "Letters We Never Intend to Send" where we post everything we want to say so we get the negative feelings out, no one gets hurt, and we ease the personal pain, frustration, anger, etc that we feel in a safe and secure forum.

I am back, I am ready to blog. I am finding peace in my actions, I have learned a lesson, I was the firebird who died among her life and is reborn of the ashes she left behind. Now I am leaving you with the quote that I enjoy so much from the Feng Shui Handbook, a quote that I believe fit me and the way I see myself in my own life and surroundings:

"A mythical bird that never dies, the phoenix flies far ahead to the front, always scanning the landscape and distant space. It represents our capacity for vision, for collecting sensory information about our environments and the events unfolding within it. The phoenix, with its great beauty, creates intense excitement and deathless inspiration." (feng shui Master Lam Kam Chuen)

The Price Of Honesty

Funny about blogs. I have been reading all over about so many
bloggers celebrating their blog-o-versary.
Today was mine.

Silent hooray.

The only problem is that all day today I have been in damage control mode because I am a blogger of total and pure honesty. So much so that now my in-laws dislike me even more than they did before. I generated a post that created a LOT and I do mean A LOT of emotion, pure, raw honesty, pain, feelings, hurt, sadness, the whole gamut. I hurt feelings with the cold splash of truthful water being dashed in faces. I called out obvious truths that may not have been my place to call out, but I did so anyway. My only way of retraction and damage control is removal. Now.......I stand alone. On the anniversary of my blog.....crying, angry, upset that in the one place I found solace, the one place I had total control of my feelings, my words, my expressions, where I sought therapy, comfort from so many of my blog friends, and believe me you know who you are otherwise I will be here all night listing you and then emailing back and forth, I am afraid to speak my truths, to share my voice, the voice so many of you applaud for boldness, for the intensity of being HONEST and open, and unafraid. I now am afraid to write.

I write this post with the heaviest heart, at a cross roads of "to blog or not to blog" on the night of my blog anniversary. With no celebration. No fantastic giveaway or review to share today (which I so desperately want to do), not even a witty story to share about the kids or myself.

I truly felt this was my one safe place....to share with my friends. The REAL LIFE shit. No bullshit, no filler, no effing sugar coated candy shit. This is my LIFE! For all the crap that exists, for all the happiness I experience, the pain I feel, the sadness, the loss, the comedy, the tragedy, the fun, the highs, the lows, this is life from every aspect. But now I am paying the price.

My life has always been hard work. And I guess I was delusional enough to think that the price of maintaining a blog with the pure honesty that people, including myself, love, live, and thrive for is too heavy of a price. I am lost. I am not wanting to blog when I want to, when I feel I have an obligation based on my agreements, when so much to be said cannot for fear of retaliation for sharing MY FEELINGS, MY THOUGHTS, MY WORDS, on MY BLOG!!!

I found I have readers who remain anonymous, for what reason I do not know. I have readers I did not know I had or lied about knowing that I write, and I write in a very open forum. But it's those readers that are pulling me away from my light. The darkness pulling me in which makes me sad because this is my light, my place, but I am being moderated.

I HATE BULLSHIT MODERATION!!!
..l..

This comment by a woman who hit the nail on the head is why I am lost and sad as what to do:

"I'm so glad that you put the post back up.
This is your blog and your voice. You should never give that up for anyone."

So why do I feel like I do have to give up?
Where is the line between compromising and giving up or giving in?
So lost.........

UPrinting Blog Sponsorship Rocks!

Not just because they have goods for me, but because they offer great discounts, get involved in the community, are green, I mean what else can you ask for? For instance, last night at my Busy Bee Mothers of Multiples meeting I could have chalked up tons of hits for the old blog by passing out cards from UPrinting. Just think about the opportunity to have business cards made with your name, blog, and URL to pass out to those you meet, promoting your blog, promoting UPrinting, getting the word out and promoting these incredible offers! Passing them out at BlogHer, Mom Summit, you name it!

UPrinting is great for all the great opportunities they offer bloggers, bloggers like me. I wanted to thank them and give a big shout out! You guys rock! In the meantime, here is the skinny on UPrinting and what they have to offer. I applied with them for my Mothers of Multiples Club. I mean 65 ladies with the support of UPrinting, who tell their husbands, friends, they tell their friends....that's a lot to go around for word of mouth promotion! Not to mention UPrinting is involved in Kiva to support growth in developing countries, just like Purex, how fantastic is that!

Why UPrinting.com isn't your average printing company:

Blog Sponsorships:
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Social Justice Projects:
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