Jennifer Love-Hewitt

I admit, I read the gossip rags and I find the pictures entertaining and the gossip interesting. I know that I contribute to them continuing to sell some falsehoods. But in my own fantasy world, I like to think I am in-touch with the celebs and their lives. In fact, theirs is the only news that I ever read or watch - the REAL news is way too depressing and stressful.

So, I would just like to say that I think Jennifer Love-Hewitt is beautiful and I think the media is just as crazy as they have always been. Have they ever actually watched an episode of "Ghost Whisperer"? She is so breathtaking in that show; the fashions that she wears are very flattering. To put criteria on women's weight and to say what is fat and what is not and what is beautiful and what is horrible is ridiculous. Who do they think they are? One week, they are chastising someone for looking a little pudgy (when all it is a few extra ounces of water gain). That person reads the media's insults, goes on a crash diet, loses the weight to impress the tabloids and to feel better about herself. Then, the media snaps a picture and they publish that she is "skin and bones" and that she has "an eating disorder". Wow, imagine that? I wonder why?

I realize an opinion is just that! Everyone has one and everyone has his or her own idea of "beautiful". My definition of beauty is a woman who is comfortable in her own skin, who is healthy and happy and who has a friendly personality. Oh, look, I think I just described Jennifer Love-Hewitt.

Why I Am Thankful

As the holidays are approaching, I can't help but think of everything that I have to be thankful for. I try to do this on a daily basis during my morning commute to work, but I felt it important to write it down. Hopefully someone will read this blog and decide to do the same thing. Then, if more people become grateful for the life that they have, the world will be a happier, more positive place.

So, here I am to explain what I am happy for:

* I am thankful for my wonderful family, who give me so much love and joy. I am thankful for their good health and for knowing they are safe.

* I am thankful for my friends, who have known me all these years and still love me.

* I am thankful for having a man who loves me inside and out, who wants to give me his all and who looks forward to our future.

* I am thankful for the realiable car, that gets me to my job that I love, which helps me pay my bills.

* I am thankful for the home that I live in which is filled with lots of love.

* I am thankful for my computer and that I have an outlet to release my thoughts and emotions.

I know there are many other things I am thankful for and I will never forget them.

Happy Holidays!!!!!

Happiness

So, I have been sitting around with these two great, healthy kids; a man who loves me; my good health; my job that makes me money; a car that gets me to and from where I need to go. And I was wondering why I don't ever "feel" happy. What does happiness feel like? It's like I am just sitting back, waiting for more to come my way. When is it okay to feel like I have enough and that I am happy? What am I waiting for????? I have EVERYTHING in the world to be happy about, so why don't I smile all the time or tell people that I AM happy? Why don't I take time out, every day, of my busy schedule and make an effort to realize just how lucky I am? Maybe doing this will make me realize that there is nothing more coming, I have it all. And, if something else is coming, then it will just be an added bonus!

Living In The Past

I guess we are all accused of living in the past at some point in our lives. Well, why the heck would we NOT live in the past? The past is where everything has happened. It's where we have been hurt, learned about regret, had our hearts broken, made mistakes and lost trust. Our natural instinct is to protect ourself and put our guard up. And we learn from our mistakes and try not to make them again. I think that it is important to remember the past, but I guess the compromise, or the healthy way is to keep a handle on HOW much we think about the past. No one will ever move on with their life and learn to enjoy and live if they only look behind them. I must learn to keep all this in mind and allow things to happen and realize I cannot control the future, I can only hope for the best.

Approval, Do We Really Need It?

Ever since we were little, we searched for approval to make ourselves feel better. We may not have been aware of how important it was or that we were even looking for it. When we heard that "Atta Girl" or "Way to Go" or even better, "Good Job!" it made us feel so wonderful. The start of this need for approval began and continues throughout our lives.

Many people brag about their accomplishments so that they can receive the praise they are searching for. Others sit back and wait and hope that someone notices. When we hear something other than praise, it can be devastating. And what about when we do something we know will not win the approval of others? This is when lying comes into play. We have all lied to hide a mistake or to keep something from someone we respect. We respect those people for their opinions, but don't want to hear about it when we are wrong. We are so funny that way.

What happens when you are living your life the way YOU want to and don't expect any one's criticism or approval, and you get it anyway? Say for instance, from your boss, parent's or in-laws. That's when you have just got to hold your tongue and change the subject!!!!!

Parenting

There have been countless debates about parenting styles and practices over the years. From era to era you have to admit, things have definitely changed. I believe that children raised in the 50's, 60's and 70's experienced things a whole lot differently than the kids raised later. It seems that kids raised in the 70's made some pact or vow to be COOL parents and raise our kids with not so many rules. I may be wrong, but the way I was raised back then was perfect. Rules and structure and discipline worked wonders. I was a good kid and teenager. I respected my elders, I did not talk back, I hardly used profanity and I was not promiscuous.

Now days, it seems as if the kids my children play with are from another planet. They are rude, they don't have any manners, they don't listen and they are lazy. I wish my peers would see that there was nothing wrong with the way they were raised. Bring back the days of spankings for horrible behavior, the teaching of manners and respect and the limited time on the computer/video game machine and television. Give them structure and routines and schedules. Talk to them, listen to them and spend time with them. Don't use the television to baby-sit your kids. Stimulate them as people and give them praise and love as much as possible. There is nothing wrong with trying to not be like your parents, but if you turned out okay, then maybe they did did it right!!!!!

My Son Is Growing Up, And I'm Scared...

This is my baby. He is growing up and becoming a person and I am so scared.

Boys are foreign to me. I don't know boys. How are they supposed to be here in the 2000's? Are they supposed to be obsessed with video games and not want to do anything else? Are they supposed to pick on their older sister? Are they supposed to be moody and depressed about going to school? Are they supposed to not listen? How do you make sure you are doing the right things in raising them? My son is so different from my daughter. Is it fair that I expect him to be as easy to raise and as responsible as his sister - I think not. With my daughter, she was open to my corrections of her attitude and behavior and how to be a person. I would tell her once and she would listen. With Colton, I feel like all I ever do is try to teach and all he ever does is get frustrated with me.

When the kids were little, I read book after book about babies and how to handle them. I guess it's time to open some up again and figure this out. I am tired of feeling guilty. I think I need more alone time with this foreign person so that I can really get to know him and see how he works.

Taking A Chance

There comes a time in all of our lives when we have to agree to take a chance on something. It may be that we buy that dollar lottery ticket, drink the milk that's expired or drive a different route to work. Regardless, we are taking a chance on change, newness and the un-known and with that, we have to TRUST.

How far are we willing to go to trust our instincts? We may trust our health our finances or our reputation and so on. But what happens when we decided to trust our heart????? Hmmmmm..... that's a tough one. No matter how well we know ourselves, our heart has it's own agenda and doesn't always listen to logic.

Your heart may have been taken out, thrown to the ground, stomped on and broken. You may have felt that you would never be able to use it again. And, as time goes on, you have to learn to let it live, breath and trust. It's one of the most difficult things in the world to do. And, when you are face-to-face with the person who abused your heart and they are asking if they can help fix what they did to it and nurture it back to health, are you willing to take that chance?