Oh, Yeah!

I got nominated for a Stylish Blog Award. Love it when that happens. I also realized that my other blog had been nominated for another award from my friend over at Hillside Hollow. I completely forgot and I am a very bad blogger friend. So, since the rules are similar I am going to consider this kind of a combo blog of both, if that's ok.

The rules are as follows: I have to give credit where credit is due (which crazy reader nominated me). I have to tell you seven things about me (since when have I ever minded talking about myself?). I have to nominate 5 blogs for the same award (love my fellow bloggers). And, I get to satisfy my craving for bullet points. Win, win.

I was nominated by my friend Amy Lou over at High Strung Musings. Amy Lou is a rookie blogger, but seems to have been born to it. She makes me laugh and her insights are usually spot on for me. She and I are friends from school in what was a small Texas town. I love her header picture. She was always pretty, but now she is stunning. I love the look on her face as she is flanked on either side by her husband and her son. Beautiful. I have loved reconnecting with her on Facebook. What an amazing woman she has become.

Now for seven things and my verison of blog crack: bullet points. I want to try to download different bullet points. Flowers, and lady bugs, and moons, and suns, and whatever. But for now, here's what I got.

• My name is Cristy and I am a shoe-a-holic. It's okay though, I don't want help. I just want a bigger closet. To be specific, I love a gorgeous high heel, the higher the better. I don't mean stripper 6 inch platform with the 10 inch heel. That's just obnoxious and no self respecting woman would wear those in public. If you look like a ho, people will think you are a ho. I like a high, skinny heel. I love a wedge heel. I love them to look good with jeans. I love to find a purse that matches. I love having a closet full of them. I searched for months for the perfect pair of zebra heels. When I walked into a department store one day after many days of walking into this store, there they were. They make me happy just looking at them. I have one pair I debated on for weeks. When I tried them on, I had my big girl take a picture of them and it was my wallpaper on my phone. I would look at my phone and think about those shoes. Every time we would go the that store I would try them on. My kids new exactly where we going first. Then, one day, they went on sale. And I had a coupon. You know the rest.
• I dig technology. I am not as savvy as I would like to be. But I would like to be. I absolutely love the new Touch. The big girl has one and it is just so damn cool. I have talked about getting a new iPhone, but it doesn't come with a keyboard keyboard. I like to feel the keys. I am loving Windows 7. I can do about 14 things at one time. When something technological comes up in our family, it always comes to me. The big girl is getting to know alot about it with her Touch. She can do some pretty cool stuff. Then there's texting, tweeting, facebooking, and who knows what else.
• I love my family. We eat dinner together every night. We read with and to each other. I think that the more time we can spend with our kids, the more productive members of society they will become. The best thing we ever did was homeschool. We have a flexible schedule that allows us to adjust to hubby's busy schedule. Last year we were able to meet hubby at least once a week for lunch at a park. We would eat, then the kids would play, then we'd all take a walk. It was awesome. The schedule is a little different this year, but we have still managed lunch with hubby every couple of weeks. Love, love love, to hear my kids laugh. It's the most joyful noise ever.
• I have a soundtrack to my life. Music has always been important to me. Whatever the occasion, I can tell you what song was playing in the background. When I walk through the store, I have songs that run through my head. I feel like breaking into song and dance, but I usually refrain. My iPod is full. I have an 8G, so it holds quite a bit, but I am out of room. I took off all the kids videos and stuff, I took off podcasts, and I only have a few playlists to cut down on repeats. Still, I need a bigger iPod. Hence the want for a new iPhone. There are songs that I may not hear for years, but when I hear them, it's like it was yesterday. I can still sing it word for word if not note for note. I was never much of a singer. That brings us to the next one.
• I love to dance. I always have. I learned to dance watching Soul Train. I also used to watch American Bandstand. Then, when I was in middle school, the USA network had a dance show that came on. It was alright. I have been the only person on the dance floor more than once. I have also been the only one in the life guard stand at a club in Arlington. Not to brag, well, yeah, to brag, DJ stopped the music as a couple of girls tried to get up there with me and said, "Nobody gets up there while she's there." Loved that! I took tap for 3 years. I started my fourth, but scheduling just wasn't working out. I only got to go to one class, which I think was better anyway. If I had gone for more than that, it would have hurt even more. I highly suggest you take a dance class. Whatever kind of dancing you want to do. If your spouse won't go, go by yourself. You would miss out on a great experience. And you just might get your spouse to join you.
• I am frustrated writer. If I could write for a living, that would be awesome. That's the reason I have two blogs. The more I get to write, the happier I am. I have kept a journal of some sort or another for years, but I have not been very faithful to any of them. I even have my issues with this, but I still would never give them up. This is my therapy and my way to tell people what to do without knowing or caring if they do it or not. I have voices that run through my head. I have characters that develop in my brain and become almost real. Scenarios unfold in one way, but then the story decides that's not right. They rework themselves in my head and I have to get them out. The only way for me to do that is to write. I have this one story now that just hasn't found the right path through a situation. It needs to hurry so I can get it out.
• I am a face it head on kind of gal. I think it's because I have authority issues. I don't like to be held back by "the man". That just sounds funny and I like it. I just don't think hiding an issue is healthy. Stuffing it down makes me sick. I am not good at that. Sometimes feelings are going to get hurt. Sometimes those feeling are mine. I am an adult and I need to be responsible for the junk in my life. I think that should apply to everyone.

So that's my long winded ramblings about me. I could talk about me all day. Instead, I am going to point you in the direction of some of my favorite blogs.

This is my friend Scott. He has always had a special way with words. He has also had an affinity for old movies. He is writing a series of blogs about some of his favorites. It's actually quite interesting. Then there's the aforementioned Hillside Hollow. She is one of those that makes me laugh out loud. She is also a homeschooler. She likes to read as much as I do and I have broadened my reading horizons because of her. This is my friend G. She has made quite the transformation this year with her weight and her health. She has really embraced a more natural way of eating and with nutrition. It's has been amazing to watch.

And now that I get here, two of the other blogs I was going to nominate are invitation only, and another has a link that's not working right. I think that might be my cue.

The Trifecta of Shit

I like the word "Trifecta". I know it comes from racing and it means three of something. Other than that, I don't care. I used it in my other blog and it seemed quite fitting for this post. Shall we?

The first of the three is as follows. We are on hold for Texas. Apparently the last guy who needed to sign off on the transfer decided that the budget was out of whack and they can't afford anyone right now. When the budget settles, blah, blah, blah. I'm sorry, I quit listening when I found out it was on hold. Great. I don't think all the work on the house was a waste of time. It needed to be done, we were going to do it anyway. We just rushed it. But at least what's done is done. The freeze could be for a day or week or months. There is no telling. Hubby is going to talk to the supervisor on Monday and find out as much as he can. Hopefully, he'll have some insight into what is going to happen next.

The second is that when I called my mom to tell her, she told me she had breast cancer. Well, shit. At this point, we don't know much except that she has it. She has a doctor's appointment coming up and we'll know more then. As soon as I know something, you'll know something. That's just how it is for now.

And rounding out the trifecta of crappy news, my grandmother in Hawaii died. I had only met her once, but that was enough to make an impact on me. She was a very lively person with a forceful personality. I had high hopes that my kids and hubby would get to meet her. I think they would have liked her. She taught hula for years. She was one of the most well respected teachers in Hawaii. What a great legacy to share with the world. I had asked if she would teach me the summer we were there. She said no. She didn't want me to hate her when she was done. There you go, then.

They say things happen in threes. That's my three. I am all done. But see, here's the thing. I know that this, too, shall pass. I know that the devil is working on me. He did such a great job over the holidays, he thought he could push me around again. But he can't. I know that God is with me. I know that He will carry me through this storm. As soon as I have news about anything, I'll let you know.

Ups and Downs

The word is out. We are on the move. When I did my "Shuffle" blog and said I missed Texas, I had no idea what God had in store for me. Over the holidays I found myself pushing away from Him to wallow down in my junk. He never left me. Even as I pulled away, He gathered me close. I have been reading some books lately that are helping me regain my relationship. The next stage of our lives will provide ample opportunity to lean on Him. For instance:

I am grieving. Although I am happy about the opportunity, I am leaving life as I have known it for 15 years. The last 4 have meant more to me than I could even explain. I have been surrounded by an amazing group of women I call my park mamas. The friends and relationships that have been formed and forged are some of the most influential in my life in one aspect or another. They are a fountain of beauty and intelligence and humor and knowledge and love and support and friendship and so many other things. I could not have gotten through my homeschooling journey without them and all my homeschooling friends. I am grieving the loss of the physical presence of my friends. We still have facebook and texting and calls. But I will miss the hugs and the reassuring touch and the pats on the back. My heart hurts to think that it will be a very long time before I see these women again.

I will miss my youth kids. They are such an amazing group of kids. They are like my own. I am the mama bear. I will protect them and fight for their rights in our church. They started a praise band that is full of so much talent. I am so proud of them. They have a new youth director that has some great plans. I just hope they happen. I hope those kids can come to love him and he loves them. I just know that those kids will always be in my heart. It's like asking me to leave my own kids home. I am grieving for the loss of the kids in my life and not being able to feel their joyous spirits.

I am blessed. I am going back to the state I grew up in, the state I still consider my home after all these years away. It's more than just Whataburger and Taco Bueno, too. If you are not from Texas, you just don't understand. It's pride to the nth degree. It's coming home. I am joyous about that.

I am blessed. I am going to be closer to my mother and my sister. I am excited that they are excited. My sister made these little squeaking noises the whole time I was talking to her on the phone. They were squeaks of joy. My mother is so excited about spending time with her grandkids, I may not see them for the first six months we're there. I am excited about cookouts and long weekends and chickens and the Rockin' C. I am joyous about that.

There are ups and downs with this change. I am divided, but starting to make peace. I am looking forward.

Shuffle

When I listen to my iPod, I like to put it on shuffle. I am not someone that likes surprises. Don't try to scare me, pull a prank, or anything like that. I can hold a grudge like nobody's business, let me tell you what. I am on a mission to change that, but for now you get my version of shuffle: A random blog.

1. Gas prices are outrageous. Over $3 a gallon? Donald Trump said that if he were President (I shudder to think) he would give the members of OPEC a stern talking to. Well, there you go then. That should do it. What happened to all the green jobs that we were investing in? Those went to China. Wow, I just complained about gas, bashed Donald Trump, and griped about the economy and international trade in one little bullet point. That may be a new record.
2. We have high speed. What a glorious and grand thing that is. It's not the super fast speed that everyone else is used to, but after 5 years of dial up, it is amazing. The big girl likes that she can text her friends on her iPod. That's been interesting. She has the same rules as hubby and I do, but hers are stricter. Downloading curriculum has been so nice. Now we need to figure out how to play Wii when our friends are at their house and we are at ours. There's a way, I just have to look it up.
3. I have writer's block. I got all jammed up and wonky at the holidays and I just can't get my groove yet. I'll get it back. Look, here's step number one. It's driving me crazy. I'll come up with a great topic and by the time I get to my computer and get the first few lines typed out, it's all gone. Great googily moogily. And now that we have wireless, I can get on the desk top again. The keyboard is so weird compared to my lap top. Big, clunky keys.
4. I have been reading like crazy lately. My book club has been a great inspiration to step out of my book rut. I like what I like and I rarely venture out of my realm. But the books sound so good, I can't help but read them. And as much as I'm not a history reader even though I love history, I have two books I started reading to prepare a lesson and totally got lost in them. Guess I'll keep those a little longer. I am also reading a couple of nonfiction books right now. Yeah, my reading window is small. What can I say? One I'm reading right now is Jesus Freaks. It's about martyrs and so far it is amazing. I am trying to step out of my box and open my mind. If I happen to learn something along the way or read a couple of great books in the process, then so be it.
5. I miss Texas. I like to think it misses me, too. I know there are some people there that miss us. Big sigh...

Well, look what I did. I acually wrote. Just need to work the kinks out.

Life According to Eminem

Say what you will about him, I like me some Eminem. He has his light fluffy stuff, but man, Cleaning Out My Closet is powerful and painful. Listen to the lyrics. Many of his songs are that way. The one that has really been running through my head lately is The Way I Am. That song just hits it for me right now. I wish I had it, but, alas, it's not on iTunes. I'll get it somehow.

The time between Thanksgiving and New Year's is hard for me. I miss my family. The holidays don't seem to be about family anymore. The holidays seem to bring out the worst in a lot of people. I just really have to close in on myself and take a break for awhile. It's also a great time for self reflection. Am I making too big a deal out of nothing? I hope not, but what if? For some reason, this song popped into my head and because I was feelng moody and self reflective, I started picking things out of conversations with different people. Sometimes I wasn't involved in the conversation as much as I was the topic of it. Again, too much time on my hands and feeling all holiday wonky had me paranoid I guess.

The chorus of the song keeps running through my head. Basically, it's that he is what anyone says he is. If you think he's a mean bastard, then everything he does is just going to prove that he's a mean bastard. If you think he is super cool, you will buy all his albums and idolize him. If you think he's a white guy trying to be black you'll call him all sorts of things. Isn't that true about us? We are what ever people think we are. Here's a list of what I heard.

• Bad Ass: Really? It has been said that I will confront anyone, anytime. No, but I don't let people run all over me, either. I just don't like to be treated rudely. I try to say please, and thank you, and excuse me. I expect common courtesy. I expect that if I was next in line, you don't try to jump in front of me. I expect to be listened to when I am at the cash register or customer service. I did tell a woman working at a department store that I didn't ask her to take this job and if she didn't like it she should get a new one. It straightened her out. I got listened to and the rest of the transaction went beautifully. And don't even mention my kids. That is tempting a mama bear! I will become a bad ass then. You don't speak unkind words about them or treat them in an unkind manner. But will I bitch slap your kid? Well, if they need it. No, really, I wouldn't slap them. But I will correct them. At the park, a couple of the girls came over and said a couple of boys kicked them off the equipment. I asked the moms if they wanted me to take care of it. They actually looked at me like I would go over and yell and scream at those kids. Am I a bad ass? Not really.
• PollyAnna: My world is NOT all rosy. Do I wallow around in it? Sometimes I do. Do I want everyone to know? No. I also decided a while ago, after a falling out with someone I thought I could trust, that there are some things that just need to stay private. I would much rather present the brighter side of life than get you all bogged down in it, too. But this is my blog and this is where it all gets said. Except that stuff that doesn't need to be said.
• Caring: Now this one I like. I would much rather make you laugh, than make you cry. I would rather you smiled all day because of something I said or did than grump around about it all day. I very much dislike the idea of hurting your feelings. If you need a shoulder to cry on, I have two you can borrow. Need a pat on the back? I can do that while I hug the stuffing out of you. My friends are my family, and that means tons to me. My family is the most important thing. I cry at sappy movies, I get mad when someone is wronged. If I could take in every child that needed a home, I'd have a million of them. I am your go to girl.
• Bitch: This is my favorite. I am. You can call me this all day long, and it doesn't bother me. My mom always said that when you fnd something you're good at, stick with it. Iam good at that. But I am also honest about it. I will never say anything behind your back that I wouldn't say straight to your face. Don't get in my face, don't start something you don't want started, and we are ok. That seems pretty simple. I am not going to walk up to you and start something. I don't do that to anyone. But really, along with this, see Bad Ass.

Along with the things that have been said about me, I also carry many titles. I am a wife, mother, sister, aunt, daughter, woman, person. I am who I say am. You only think I am what you say I am. I think if you really got to know me, you would see that I am all of those things. I am also scared, unconfident, tired, content, beautiful, goofy, loving, funnier than anything. Spend some time me. Get to know me. I did.