Pet Peeves

When I was in the shower this morning, I got to giggling about random things that bother me.... nothing major, but you know how things can irritate you and it just makes you grit your teeth or roll your eyes? Like, why do people DO the things they DO?!



Well, here are just a few of my pet peeves...

The sound of fingernails being clipped - gross.

When people leave their turn signals on when they're going around the loop to get on/off the interstate...um, hello, i know you're going left - we're all behind you in a semi-circle...

Going to a public restroom where numerous stalls are available and somebody sits RIGHT next to me. This usually happens at work with me and then I can't go because they're invading my privacy.

Toothpaste left in the sink - and yes, I'm the one leaving it, but when I'm in a hurry to get to work, I don't think about washing it down. Then when I get home, there it is - all crusty - to greet me.

I don't like it when people tell me what kind of a mood I'm in when really, I'm just thinking or concentrating on something. For example, 'Wow, you look really ticked off or upset' - no, that's just my face.

Hair in the bathtub drain. (Again, all me, but still a pet peeve!)

People who don't hold the door open for somebody older than they are... R-E-S-P-E-C-T...

Getting cut off in the grocery store checkout line.

Let me know what YOUR pet peeves are - just so I know I'm not the only crazy one!

Beaming

I have been so proud the last couple of days - proud of my 8 year old nephew and his newest accomplishment. I want to show off just a little bit....

His artwork was featured at an art gallery north of DM and I hear that there were only a couple other 2nd graders who had art displayed, as well. He drew the most perfect butterfly made up of vibrant colors with the sun as his backdrop! I love it and am so proud of him :)

Great job, Keegs - I can't wait to see it in person in a couple of months! I love you!

Changes

This past week has been about changes taking place, being grateful about the lessons learned, and the many experiences that I've had this past year. It's funny how life can hand you all sorts of twists not knowing what's around the corner, but expecting yourself to 'be ready' when things do change.

I have been filled up with grace for the past few days and it's an absolutely great feeling. (Ironically, when I went to church, the sermon was about grace!)

Grace is undeserved favor. I think we're all in need of some grace every now and then!

Grace apprehended always brings us life changes - it helps us to live in freedom and to live in gratitude.

Grace equals gratitude. It's so simple!

I'm grateful for the seasons of change, the people that come and go in my life, and the emotions and feelings that can get caught up in it all. As much as I admittedly hate change, sometimes I need to embrace it and work through those tough areas to get to the desired outcome.

I honestly feel 'free' again... I'm hoping to be able to get back to where I was in life when I moved west over a year ago. Finally rid myself of these ugly insecurities that decide to surface at the most inopportune times. Learn to be content and not take everybody's opinions straight to heart. Welcome future changes... the list could go on and on...

I am so very blessed and grateful for the friends and family that I have in my life - thank you for your words of encouragement and endless love this past week! I couldn't have asked for better peeps to be in my life :)

'Nuff Said

Oh no...

It's happening.... I'm turning into my mother.

I remember calling my mom one afternoon to tell her that I was so upset with myself for "randomly clapping" my hands like she does. For instance, if she is cooking and trying to remember an ingredient and then walks over to get it -clap clap- I think it's just a habit, but the time I found myself doing it, I slapped my own hands.

Well, my latest mom-characteristic is something that I've been trying to ignore, but I can't do it any longer. She can crack open the newspaper and fall asleep within three minutes. We used to tease her and say, "Oh, you're going to 'read' now?? We'll wake you up in a half hour."

"Oh you guys, I'm not tired, I really want to know what's going on in the world," she would say....and then she would be out like a light...zzzzzzz....

Well, the last two nights I've tried to read a book and find myself counting the holes in my eyelids. I never used to do that!? Of course, it doesn't help that I just ate supper and have my little blue buddy (the heating pad) on my back keeping me nice and warm. (I'm so good with justifying any situation.) When in all reality, I'm becoming my mother.

Which, by the way, isn't a bad thing. After all, she is the funny one.

The Wait is Over

The teenie bopper within me is screaming with joy - I have waited 14 years for this very moment:

THE NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK ARE REUNITING!!! omg...this is so awesome...

Back in the day, my friends and I were retarded over this group. My walls were slathered with BOP! and Teen Beat magazine pictures from one end to the other. I had t-shirts, lapel pins on my jean jacket, a hat (which glowed in the dark), VHS tapes of their videos and concerts, their cassette tapes, and posters galore. I memorized dance moves by taping MTV and practicing over and over in the living room. We went and saw them perform at the Iowa State Fair with Tiffany and Tommy Page as the opening acts - I was GOING to marry Donny Wahlberg - oh, my heart is all a flutter just thinking about it all...ahhhhhh....

We had it planned out - Heidi was going to marry Jordan, I was going to marry Donny, Hilary was going to marry Jonathan, and Amy - well, we teased her about marrying Danny. Joey was 'too young' for us at the time, but he had potential...

I think about how obsessed I was with this group and how much money I pumped into them - along with every other young girl who was in love with them, too! They were soooo dreamy...

So in case you're wondering what to get me for my birthday in August, they do have a new album coming out :)

Girl Power

I did it. I bit the bullet and bought a new car over the weekend.

I had a bit of buyer's remorse at first, but the longer the week has been going, the happier I'm becoming with my new purchase!

One of my friends told me that I probably felt like I've abandoned the "little black jewel" that brought me out here and I think they're right... I didn't get a chance to say good-bye to the Grand Am, take a picture, or hug the seat. The sales guy drove it away - off to auction, more than likely - and I didn't even get to keep one of my license plates. I was sad - there, I said it.

The sales guys were sort of making fun of people who get an emotional attachment to their cars and I didn't know it at the time, but I definitely had one. I took care of 'her' when she got beat up out here, I had her paid off, loved cleaning it, and I still thought it was a sharp car. I remember the night that I saw it on the lot at the car dealership and told my folks that that was the car I had 'always wanted'....and it treated me right in return.

Now parked in the garage is a new Dodge Avenger R/T - it's the Charger's "little brother". I feel safer driving it and don't constantly worry about how I'm going to get up the big hill to work every day without it spitting and sputtering or breaking down along the highway. The air conditioner doesn't take 15 minutes to kick on, the sunroof doesn't sound like it's going to fly off when it's being opened, and the engine doesn't die when I pull into a spot to park! All in all, I think I've made the right decision...