Life is changing!

In what very little spare time I have had during these stages of moving, I have been doing some blog surfing.  Reading some of these blogs I have come to these two conclusions:  people like blogs about food and my writing skills are way more good (hee hee) than most of these bloggers.

Yet, they are the ones with umpteen million followers.  WTF?  They are the ones getting paid off their blog.  They are the ones borrowing others recipes, taking pic's of them and acting as if they are the cooking hero of the year.  Now, I know, I know... it's a great way to share recipes and I personally google dinner ideas - normally resulting in a recipe from a blog.  My point is I could do that and I could do that better.  So I'll be changing my blog up a bit.

There is another reason I'll be changing it - the move.  My daily life will no longer involve blended family struggles.  And holy shit have we had them.  Nope, now it'll involve starting a fresh chapter and the occasional glare at Alan. My own bio evil spawn will still give me a hard time, I am sure, and the plethora of estrogen related verbiage that spews from my mouth when I think he is speaking to my  kids in a not so correct manor will be a staple in our lives until they are 18 and we say ba-bye.  Although, they don't always leave at 18...

So as we settle in I will continue to blog but it'll be about whatever, partly because I am ADD and partly because some of the shit that occurs in my life is too funny not to share.  My goal will be for people to relate to me and find humor in the craziness of our lives.  And an occasional yummy recipe.  Yes, with the pictures.

I had no idea how much I would grow to hate painting.  I effin' despise it.  Yesterday when my hand was cramping and my wrist could not move when I told it to, I decided to approach it differently.  A lot of life is a mindset.  I told myself to be grateful.  Be grateful that we had the money to buy the paint and I had the ability to paint (he may think different when he sees how sloppy it is) and we are able to move.  That attitude of gratitude got me through finishing about 2 more hours.  Instead of telling myself "you will get this room painted today" I said "what if you get this whole room completed today?"  Your brain won't argue with possibility.  You will however hear several voices arguing when you make a demand.  Some probably hear more voices than others.

Be grateful for life people.  Thank God for the day before you. Decide it will be a good great day and it will be.  

364 days till 40

What a lovely start to the first day of my 39^th year. Alan was leaving early to go to a conference near the B&B so we were the only ones downstairs for breakfast and sat at a table with a candle burning while enjoying our morning coffee – a candlelit breakfast.  He left and I returned to our room, determined to write for two hours.  That is exactly what I did and it felt great.  It’s funny, sometimes when I am writing I get so pulled into the emotion I felt at the time of the trip that I want to punch Alan in the head.  He doesn’t seem to see the humor in that. I have never taken a writing class but would assume that is what you learn, to put your mindset as if you were still there and allow the emotions to erupt and fly through the fingertips onto the keyboard.  Writing and hiking are two of my favorite things and I get to do both today.  I don’t need cake (seriously, looking at my muffin top I don’t), balloons or gifts.  My gift is me time and my gratitude is immense for it.  I feel as though when I do get a break from my darling children I am a better mom for it.  They too enjoy the break from me, I suppose.  It’s easy when you are away from your daily reality to decide how to improve things.  The problem usually is, well for me anyway, that not everyone in the house understands that I rule.  Simple things could make our house so much happier.  If people would just listen to me…maybe it’s not even so much about the listening as it is about respect.   That seems to be missing from our house.

When I turned 30 it was quite difficult for me.  I was one of ‘those’ people who cried and had a very hard time accepting that I would no longer be in my 20’s.  More so than the actual age, I think what upset me the most was where I was at in life.  I expected that by 30 I would have my shit together and be in full swing of the good life.  Not on my 2^nd divorce.  Less financially stable than 10 years earlier and dazed and confused about what to do with life. 

Now that I am 364 days away from 40 I am welcoming it and grateful for each day.  I have gray hair and that’s ok.  That’s what the hair salon is for.  I have wrinkles and that’s ok.  That is what Arbonne is for.  I am comfortable in my own skin and know where I am going.  If just 10 years ago I knew what I do now about life and how to be successful I would be a millionaire already.

  

I am going to make great things happen this year.  All because I decided I will.  Yes folks, it’s that simple.

Now, it is 11:58 a.m. and my birthday.  Where the hell is the wine?!  

Greek Pizza anyone?

Let's cook, shall we?  Here is a 3 part video clip from yours truly on how to make my fabulous Greek pizza.  Please enjoy, oh and you may want to grab a drink to watch.  I couldn't condense it into 7 minutes like I wanted to.

Part 2

Part 3...yes the final one.

So... if you try it let me know!  Don't forget the wine, it's an important part ;)

Are you considering a blended family?

Just a little something I thought of and decided it was most important to get out there.  Like STAT.

This whole blended family thing ain't as easy as I make it look... (ha ha)

If you are considering marrying someone with children, whether or not you have them as well, don't just think short term.  Consider long term - 2, 5 even 7 years down the road. How old will their kids be and can you handle that?  Is the love you have now going to continue to burst out or will it get lost in the daily shuffle of your life?  There are  a lot of emotions you go through that you wouldn't even think would erupt.  Like, for example, am I taking away from my kids because I have to buy for his?  Don't frown on me, he has thoughts like that too.  It's only normal.  That's just one of many.  

A moment of juvenescence.

Yesterday my mom had the pink shag carpet from my childhood bedroom removed.

I admit, that stung. Not in a riled up sort of way but more like a quick pull of a band aid.  Plus, how am I going to make fun of it every visit if it isn't there?

 It is being replaced with some flooring that I missed the details on (sorry, mom) because immediately my mind went to a place of nostalgia and I pictured myself sitting on that pink shag listening to Cindi Lauper on my record player. I can't believe she is getting rid of that carpet.  The woman in me wants to say "good for you Elizabeth! I am so glad you can finally do the things with the house that you have wanted to for so long."  The selfish kid in me however had this to say (while stomping foot loudly and pointing) "NO!  That's my room and you can't do what you want with it."


I asked her if she would please go outside before they took the carpet away and cut pieces of it to make scatter rugs for the new floor... that was kind of said in jest, kind of truth.  Although I do always say that there is always truth in jest.

She's having it painted too.  Okay, sting now more like a band aid being pulled off tiny bits at a time.  I am sixteen, no wait maybe fifteen.  I am arriving home from my dads after my summer vacation down in Massachusetts.  I open my bedroom door expecting to find my room exactly the way I left it.  Instead I open it to blue and tie die.  "WHAT is this?"  "Happy Birthday!  Do you like it?"  I needed a moment to let it sink in.  I liked the tie die sheet that hung over the lite fixture on the ceiling.  But the walls...what is this stripe thing?  Okay had moment, still hasn't sunk in.  I'll pretend I like it for now and decide later if I really do.  Yes, eventually I decided I loved it.  It seems like all that happened just yesterday.  Clocks really should have wings as time does fly.


I really am happy for her.  It took a long time, but she is able to do the house the way she wants now.  When I say long time I mean like my twenty year High School reunion was last summer if that helps put it into perspective.

Because I analyze everything to death I started pulling this apart and thinking about my childhood and how it has affected my adulthood and what am I doing to my kids now and where is this country going to be if the lazy ass young adults who are too busy gaming and texting and having everything handed to them don't realize that life is not in fact handed to you?  That in the real world not everybody gets a trophy just for showing up.  And no, the effin dishes do not put themselves in the dishwasher.  How many times can that be repeated?  Every flippin' day, that's how many.  I just see so many slackers.  Common sense seems to be overruled by ignorance with this generation.  I fear for this country.  Yup, all this from pink shag carpet.  Amazing how the ADD mind works.

Squirrel.

Letting go via vlog.

Lucky you, no reading today...just listening to my angelic voice.  And brilliant words of wisdom...

I hate it when you do a video and the still frame catches you in a reject position/expression - much like the one above.  Oh well, I think I'll just let it go!

Glamping in the mountains...

No meltdowns yet and it's already day four.  What a difference from our previous trips...

I was trying to put this on my Adventures in a Bluebird page on fb but can't figure out how to write a 'note' on it.  Perhaps they no longer have that option?  Anyway I decided to just stick it on my blog because I know people want to know every move I am making.

Stop with the chuckle, I am not that vain...

Departure/Arrival and day two brought us this:

Okay, I’ll admit I felt like a bit of a celebrity and that made me happy.  On our way to the campground we stopped at a Rest area just outside of Richmond.  I am used to people admiring Rare Metal and taking pic’s of her.  If I happen to “accidentally” be in them so be it and yes, it is sheer coincidence that my tummy is in and shoulders back.  AKA boobs out.

 

Today was a little different though and I immediately began to catch a taste of what Hollywood must feel like for real with the paparazzi following.   There seemed to be about two hundred of them and they were all men.  Darker complexions.  They were hopping out of tour buses and were taking pic’s of Rare Metal in complete awe of her.  ‘Wait till they see me’ I thought to myself…  Seriously, we couldn’t even park because they were surrounding her and wouldn’t move as they snapped their shots.  Finally Alan was able to maneuver her into a spot and the kids and I got out.  Sure, I could have used the toilet in her but where is the fun in that?  How would I be able to talk to them?

Not at all is how I could talk to them as they didn’t speak English.  Now, for some reason I, who am loud anyway, feel the need to holler when I am trying to talk to a foreigner.  So I yell (slowly, while using hand gestures) “Do… you… want… me… to… take… a… picture… of… your… group… with… the… Rv?”  For gosh sakes Angela, they are from another country not freakin' deaf.  Blank stares.  I tried again.  Pointing to the camera I made him understand.  He gladly accepted and some of them lined up.  Jake got in the picture with them.   The kids and I proceeded into the Rv and I made sandwiches for lunch.  Deviled Ham…we only eat it when we are on the road and I am pretty sure our bodies thank us for that.  They were still surrounding the bus taking pic’s.  I was trying to figure out if they were Albanian, Italian or something else.  I couldn't help but think to myself that Rare Metal and I better get used to this, as this is what it will be like on my book tour.  Hey, if you don't believe in yourself and have a vision...it'll never happen.

 Though unusual for us, the rest of the trip went smoothly.  Alan’s oldest daughter and her two children are coming to stay for a few days.  They will bring a tent and stay on our site.  Yes, that does make me a …ahem… grandmother, a "Grangie" to be exact.  Her oldest, Brittany, is older than my two.  Weird family we are.  "Jake give that to your sister who is seven years younger than your mom."  If you can't laugh at yourself...

  

Alan and Crystal went to the store while I took all four kids up to the pool.  He came back with no shortage of nitrates.  Lots of kielbasa and sausage cause it was on sale for $1.25.  “Oh, you got the good stuff” I said with a hint of sarcasm.  Blech.  Day one led us to Grottoes, Va.  Where the Grand Caverns are.  Oh my gosh they were cool.  Like, literally 54 degrees but also awesome to look at and experience.  We took a little hike on a trail there.  Started out straight up and didn’t stop.  Holy frig my legs and ass.  Ummm what the hell is this?  Downpour.  Where the hell did it come from?  I'll bet some of you reading this just said to yourself "the sky."  I did when I asked it.    I mean we were soaked immediately and there was no escaping it.  I could’ve gotten pissy but decided to embrace the rain though I was cold!  We reached the top and turned around.  The rain lasted about 10 minutes.  The sun came back through the trees and felt great.  Thank you Lord!  We were dripping from every inch but didn’t want to go back to the campground and we did dry pretty quickly.  Luckily for us gals Crystal had a few extra t-shirts in her car.  Not so good was that our bras got wet too so it looked like we were lactating for a while. 

Next we found a boat landing on the Shenandoah River and I let Alan take Crystal and her kids on a canoe trip.  I use the term let because I suggested they all go because we would have plenty of time and they were leaving the next day and I wanted her kids to have a canoe trip.  The kids and I met them at a landing about six miles up river.  BLT’s for supper.  Yummy.

We love to hike!