Originally posted on MSN Spaces on January 9, 2008 

Over the past year I have lost about 47 pounds give or take a pound or 4. I didn’t really do anything drastic, just stopped snacking late, drinking so much pop and decreased the portions of what I eat. Then I got a new job in October after being laid off at my other job. One of the first things I noticed about this new job, yes the first, is all the stinkin doughnuts around this place. If there is a meeting: doughnuts, a teaching conference: doughnuts, an interview: doughnuts, a depostition: doughnuts. Ok you get it. These people eat alot of doughnuts. I have become one of those people. I also add coffee to my high calorie breakfast most mornings. And this just isn’t any coffee. It’s the super-secret-I’ve-got-three-kids-to-get-off-to-school-and-it-is-only-9am-and-I-am-already-tired-coffee. And this special coffee isn’t made by just pouring regular old black coffee to a cup and adding a little cream and sugar…..oh no…. this is special coffee after all. You must first sneak into the break room as to not be detected because the amount of crap i voluntarily add to my coffee before consuming it is a little embarassing, Then you add about half a cup of hot water to the bottom of the cup and throw in an entire package of hot cocoa. Then you must add a ton of sugar and a smidge of cream. Finally  you are ready to add the coffee. The sweetest smell is coffee and chocolate slowly mixing together. MMM can’t you just smell it? Would you settle for a picture?

Originally published on MSN Spaces on January 8, 2008 

I woke up very reluctantly this morning. I stayed up way too late and my seven year old snores way too loud. She has not been feeling well and even had to stay home from school yesterday. So when she stumbled into my room at 4 this morning looking miserable and adorable with pink flushed cheeks, there was no way possible to tell her no when she said, Mama can I sleep wit you? So I scooted over and made room for her. I then scooted over to make room for Cooper for how ever could he sleep in liv’s bed without her. So there we were: me, my seven year old and her dog in a bed that I usually very much enjoy having all to myself. The alarm clock went off at 6 and I reached over to wake sleeping beauty. After many futile attempts I got in the shower deciding to save waking the natives until after I was a little more alert. I somehow made it sleepily through the morning and just about had everyone dropped off when the sinus headache started sneaking into my face. It is suppose to be 67 degrees today. On January 8. In Cincinnati. That doesn’t happen. My sinuses are very sensitive. And my head is very achy. Last night I ran into the grocery store after picking Cori up from school. We had not picked up Emma yet or sick Liv from big Papaw’s house. I was rushing and running as usual and so Cori took advantage of my weakness to beg me for Cinnamon rolls from the bakery. THEY ARE MY FAVORITE MAMA - YOU KNOW, MY FAVORITE. And she is right. She does have quite the love for cinnamon rolls. So i caved and we bought cinnamon rolls. I brought one to work this morning and I heated it up slightly and carried it to my office with my sweet coffee. I sat at my desk and devoured my roll while reading emails. I know all things happen for a reason and I know that may not necessarily apply to breakfast pastry - but I know I was meant to have this Cinnamon Roll this morning. It is ooey and gooey and sweet and just what I needed and I may just love my middle child a little more for making me buy them.

Originally published on MSN Spaces on December 7, 2007 

it has been years, literally, since I updated my blog. Alot of course has changed and some things that unfortunately have stayed the same. most i probably cannot even remember, but the most memorable are chronicled below:

1. my best friend jamie’s brother was killed in Irag on new year’s day. he was a sargeant in the army and died saving his platoon from a suicide bomber. a true american hero.

2. i fell in love.

3. i got laid off from my job and then got a new, pretty cool job. i am getting ready to quit.

4. my best friend jamie finally joined the mom club - she had a beautiful little (and I mean LITTLE, 4lbs. 3oz.)girl on June 14, 2007 - Jalynn Loraine

5. my youngest daughter was diagnosed with a mental illness and is attending a partial hospitalization program at a children’s psychiatric hospital during the day. she is making so much progress and becoming the little girl she was meant to be. i am heartbroken but hopeful.

6. i decided to become certified to open a daycare center in my home. it is my newest venture and I am very excited.

7. i started volunteering for an innercity youth sports group. it has given me such joy and a new perspective.

8. i bought myself a new beautiful bedroom suit. i know this sounds silly but when you are a single mom with three kids it can be a MAJOR purchase. i am proud of myself every time i lie in it.

9. my dog died.

10. my daughters turned into such smart and beautiful little ladies. they are my pride and joy

11. My friend Tasha’s baby boy Malik (mentioned in earlier blogs) passed away. he was 5 months old and never got to come home from the hospital. RIP little Malik.

Originally published on MSN Spaces on May 12, 2006 

Life has been a little messy the past month or so.  My babysitter called me on last Sunday and said she had to go out of town and would not be back for a week.  That was a big shock…even more shocking when i realized there was absolutely no one in my life i could call on to help me out.  I had to take 2 days of vacation from work and make a million and one arrangements just for the one day that i did come in.  It was a nightmare.  Needless to say, when school is out, the girls will be going somewhere else.  I got Liv and Cori into this great summer day camp program and Emma will officially be starting preschool at a montessori.  She is so very excited and i cant wait for her to start.  I have been doing more of trying to clean up and organize the house and i am having a huge yard sale on the 27th with my mom and my cousin Susie.  Getting rid of junk and making some exra money is so refreshing.  Olivia has already decided she is going to sell Lemonade — such a little entrpeneur she is.  I told the girls if they went through their rooms and toybox and took out any toys they dont play with and put them in the yard sale they could keep the money.  Liv has 2 huge boxes full already…lol!  My mom, grandma and 2 of my aunts are taking a day trip on saturday to Metamora, IN.  This year i thought Liv would be old enough to go so she is coming along.  metamora is this little town with rows and rows and rows of little shops.  each store has unigue things and mostly handmade. We always have such a good time when we go and i am looking forward to sharing it with Liv. 

Originally published on MSN Spaces February 20, 2006 

i got my very first comment today.  it was fun to open my space and see a small (1) next to comments.  someone had visited over the weeked and enjoyed reading what i had to say.  kind of like a technological pat on the back.  it was nice.  thanks leslie.

Originally published on MSN Spaces February 17, 2006 

So i have a new dog and i am allergic to her, yet i cannot imagine my life without her.  I am not talking like major allergic reactions and constant sneezing and puffy eyes, just a little tickle in my throat when i wake up in the morning, the need to vacuum more than i use to, that sort of thing.  Her name is Pira and she resembles a small horse more than that of an indoor domesticated animal.  She is part german shephard part rottweiler and weighs in at about 70 pounds.  I use to be one of those people that makes fun of the people that get full blown thousand dollar surgeries for their pets or takes them to pet resort and spas while they are on vacation, but now each month i faithfully make a small payment to Shelter Care Pet Insurance for the well being of my dog.  Yes, my dog has health insurance.  I never considered myself a dog person.  Never until i had a rather troubling experience in my new neighborhood.  I recently moved to covington from erlanger.  Erlanger being smalltime suburbia america where my youngest neighbor had been retired for 10 years and now drove a schoolbus, to a little rougher part of town where police officers greeted the high schoolers at the front door each morning. I am not talking innercity detroit or anything, just an area to be more cautious and not as naive.  Anyway, i was soundly sleeping on my couch one evening after watching a Law and Order marathon on cable, when i woke up thinking i had heard my doorbell.  It was one of those moments where you cant figure out if that is what you really heard, or you dreamt it.  I sat up and waited a few moments longer when someone knocked on the door.  I searched for my glasses and looked at my watch.  2:30 a.m.  Who is knocking on my door at 2:30 in the morning?  I contemplated answering the door or not when the doorbell rang again.  Ok, so I know it was stupid, but i got up and answered the door.  Standing there was a small man, i mean not a little person, just a man of small stature, wearing a black hoodie and carrying a gas can.  He explained to me that he had ran out of gas a few blocks down and had no money.  Okay I may be from the country where you dont lock your doors at night, but i am not ignorant and i was not letting this man in my house while i grabbed my wallet to hand him a few bucks.  i had just watched three hours of law and order after all.  i knew the kind of sick people running around out there.  i graciously told him i had no cash, he apologized and went on his way.  i went back in the house, dutifully checked on the doors and windows and lay back down on the couch where i lay awake for the rest of the night and into the next morning watching  Briscoe and Curtis reel in the bad guys.  I couldnt help but think about what the hell i would have done if the guy behind my door had been a lunatic.  I did have three sleeping children right at the top of the stairs after all.  That day i decided i would get a dog.  It seemed like the logical solution.  I wasnt going to have a gun in my house after all, so what other choice was there really?  I wasnt having much luck finding a man to protect us all so a dog seemed the next logical choice.  i browsed the internet at work that day until i came across her picture and profile on a pet adoption site right in the next town.  She was housebroken, up to date on shots and currently was being fostered with two young kids. Perfect.  We went to see her on saturday and i knew she was to be mine.  The girls loved her and she was excited to go with us.  I packed her and the kids into the van and headed for home.  We got her home and acclamated to the house.  Within hours she had eaten the legs off a barbie and chewed two colored pencils in half.  Immediately the girls starting picking up their toys.  A small miracle.  i was convinced this dog had been sent to me straight from God.  That night i ordered pizza while the girls and i sat at the table and made homemade valentines.  Forty or so minutes later a knock came at the door when my dog sprang to her feet and lunged at the door, all the while barking and growling.  My daughters and I just stood their watching her paw at the door with our eyes wide open like a deer caught in the headlights.  Suddenly my six year old looked at me and started bubbling over with laughter.  She wants our pizza she said. No, she wants the pizza man i thought to myself.  I grabbed my wallet from the mantel and pryed the dog from the door.  I told her to go lay down, that everything was okay.  It was like she turned into a new dog.  She returned to all fours and sauntered into the dining room and layed down on her pillow.  I opened the door to find a clearly frightened pizza delivery boy that was maybe all of 18 standing at the bottom of the steps.  After explaining to me that he was not willing to come “up there” as he put it, i met him at the bottom of the steps and paid him for the pizza, throwing in a nice little tip for a new pair of undershorts i was convinced he might need.  i got the girls settled with the slice of pizza and a cup of milk and walked into the living room where the dog was now playing with her beanie bag teddy bear my youngest daughter had given her.  I sat down in the floor and hugged her neck.  i all of a sudden had peace of mind, a sense of having a protector, safe.  That night, i let Pira jump into the bed with me and lay at my feet.  Within minutes she was breathing heavily and snoring slightly.  I turned over and closed my eyes and for a moment remembered a familiar feeling of having someone take up the other side of my bed, that was now clearly being claimed by my new most loyal companion.  It is almost silly how we can find comfort in the oddest of places.That night i slept more soundly than i had in weeks.