REPOST FROM 2012: Social Media & How We Lost Our Social Skills

Being in the food service industry has introduced me to a different interaction with people.

When I was sitting behind a desk, in a professional environment, I used the computer to type documents, prepare presentations and converse over email.  I used the telephone to answer questions, have conversations and get information.  I went to meetings to talk and listen to people face-to-face and I actually had real relationships with the people who came into my office to sit down and chat.

Now that I am working with the public in a more relaxed, casual environment, I see who is out there and that most people just don't have the desire to have conversations or even look up from their telephones.  I don't know how many times I approach a table and greet them with a "Hi, how are you today?" only to get them request a water with lemon without even looking me in the eyes.  They are too busy texting or playing games on their phones.  In fact, I waited on one table that consisted of a mother, father and two tweens and every single one of them was playing on their phone at the table.  Come on!!!!  

What is this world coming to when we can't even use our voices or have meaningful conversations with someone anymore?  We rely so much on technology and I only imagine it getting worse in the future.  Don't get me wrong, I love technology and use it on a daily basis.  It does seem that the younger generation (pre-teens, teens, young adults) are not the only culprits, many people in their 40's are teaching this kind of social trend.

I must say, lots of other servers don't like to wait on the "older generation" but I really love it.  These are the people who are grandparents and great grandparents.  They have been around in a world without all of the social media and probably have no desire to ever learn about it.  They have real talks and real stories that they will share with you whenever they feel like it.  They genuinely care when they await your response to "How are you today?"

I had a conversation with my daughter about social media recently and how kids her age are using it to express all of their feelings to the world instead of talking to their parents, writing poetry or even calling up a friend (as I did when I was her age).  If teens have a problem with someone's actions, they take to the Internet or texting to express their feelings instead of going straight to the person and just talking things out.  This leads to so much confusion and many more people's involvement.  I guess I can't limit this behaviour to just teens, I know plenty of marriages that have unfolded over the Internet and Facebook.  It's put right out there for all of us to be a part of and to react to.   

One of the biggest problems I see (and there are many) is that when you rely on written word to get your point across, there is no reflection to hear and no guarantee all of your words will be taken the way that you mean them.  Texts can get lost, sarcasm can be detected (or not detected) and cap locks can accidentally be used when we are not even upset.  Why not just pick up the phone or go hang out and talk things through?

Okay, I am done venting and I am going to step off of my soap box.

Codependency - Here's What I Have Learned

I used to know someone who had an addictive personality.

He chose to deal with things by relying on something to ease the pain of life, depression, suicidal tendencies and while doing so, it helped him deal with my co-dependency.  We both were aware of his issues and I always thought I was the one to live with the burden of his addiction.  I felt so much love for him that I made his problems mine, because both of us took on each others pain, depression, etc.  In a healthy relationship, when one is down, the other is there to lift them back up and help them see things differently.  We did not function that way.  

I found myself so tired of taking on his emotions and trying to walk on egg shells to keep him from going over the edge.  Things that bothered me were not talked about, I learned to keep them in.  Too long of doing this causes resentment and detachment.

What I haven't mentioned is that, he never asked me to take these things on.  There is no fault or blame today.  I struggled silently with my own pain and depression and, unknowingly, my own co-dependency.  It's so much easier to avoid your own issues when you are so focused on making someone else better and then resenting them for their mistakes.

If you are like me and have misconceptions or are unsure of what it means to be codependent, let me give you it's meaning:

A codependent person is one who has let another

person's behavior affect him or her, and who is

 obsessed with controlling that person's behavior.

So all those times that I prided myself on being a caring, compassionate, empathetic person, I was taking it a little too far.  I worried so much about trying to do the right thing in my relationship and for my kids, that I just needed to step back and let the man that I still, to this day love, handle his own shit!

EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON

Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there, to serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson, or to help you figure out who you are or who you want to become. You never know who these people may be (possibly your roommate, neighbor, coworker, long lost friend, lover, or even a complete stranger), but when you lock eyes with them, you know at that very moment they will affect your life in some profound way.

And sometimes things happen to you that may seem horrible, painful, and unfair at first, but in reflection you find that without overcoming those obstacles you would have never realized your potential, strength, willpower, or heart.

Everything happens for a reason.

Nothing happens by chance or by means of good luck.

Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness, and sheer stupidity all occur to test the limits of your soul.
Without these small tests, whatever they may be, life would be like a smoothly paved, straight, flat road to nowhere. It would be safe and comfortable, but dull and utterly pointless.

The people you meet who affect your life, and the success and downfalls you experience, help to create who you are and who you become. Even the bad experiences can be learned from. In fact, they are probably the most poignant and important ones.

If someone hurts you, betrays you, or breaks your heart, forgive them, for they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious when you open your heart.

If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally, not only because they love you, but because in a way, they are teaching you to love and how to open your heart and eyes to things.

Make every day count.

Appreciate every moment and take from those moments everything that you possibly can for you may never be able to experience it again.

Talk to people that you have never talked to before, and actually listen.

Let yourself fall in love, break free, and set your sights high.

Hold your head up because you have every right to.

Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself, for if you don't believe in yourself, it will be hard for others to believe in you.

You can make of your life anything you wish.

Create your own life and then go out and live it with absolutely no regrets.

Most importantly, if you LOVE someone tell him or her, for you never know what tomorrow may have in store.

And learn a lesson in life each day that you live.

That's The Story Of Life.

~ Unknown

Trending Today: Famous Coffee Outlet & The Diaper Changing Incident

 So this baby walks into a bar.....

Nah, that didn't happen but I thought it might get your attention.

In Denver, CO, a very popular coffee chain, I am not going to name names, but it rhymes with Carbucks, had a little incident with a dirty diaper and a baby who was with his not-so-happy mom.

It seems that the mom was enjoying her coffee when she realized that her one-year old son needed his diaper changed.  She proceeded to take him into the restroom when she discovered that there were no changing tables offered by the establishment.

Does "Carbucks" think that it's only customers are laptop carrying, blazer wearing, non-fat, skinny Mocha Cappuccino drinkers?  What about the mothers who bribe their children with a Strawberries & Cream so they will do their chores after their homework is done?  It seems like more and more families are frequenting this coffee heaven and maybe the owners should re-think who their clientele is.

So, to continue the story, the mother of the baby decided to change her son's diaper in the seating area, right in front of tea drinking athletes, elderly paper-readers and impatient businesspersons.

Let's just say, this is not exactly great drinking entertainment and some of the employees decided to take matters into their own hands by treating the mother with her very own clean-up towel and words of disgust and laughter.

Mom was not too happy and I am sure, a little embarrassed.  She decided to give them their drink back when she poured it on the floor, causing quite a stir.

Now, I am a mom of two and I remember the days of searching for a changing table and sometimes not being successful.  What was I to do?  One time, when I was at the mall, I was in the only bathroom available and the only changing table was broken.  Luckily, I had a changing pad in my diaper bag and a blanket that I was able to lay on the floor to get our business done.  I know, not the most sanitary, but a mom's got to do what a mom's got to do!

What do you think about this story?

(Huff Post Denver was used to reference the events)         

Review: The Week The Women Went

Have you watched the new Tuesday night, Lifetime reality series, The Week The Women Went?  I have and I think the concept is a GREAT idea.

Lifetime is following the town of Yemassee, South Carolina as they participate in a daring social experiment.  For one week, all of the women, 18 years old and up, will leave the small town and go to a remote location, one which they don't even know about ahead of time.  The thought is that with all of the women gone, the men and children will need to see if they can perform daily tasks and survive without their "women" to take care of them.

The first episode, very dramatically, shows all of the women in town, walking for what seemed like miles, lugging suit cases behind them down a long road.  It was eerie the way they did this.  It almost reminded me of what I imagine the old leper colonies did back in the middle ages.  Although the women are leaving their loved ones behind, most seemed very excited to get away and have "me" time.  And "me" time was exactly what they got as they all left town on a train and later arrived at a beautiful, tropical resort.  It seems all they will have to worry about is which bathing suit to wear and how many fruity drinks they can consume.  However, get a bunch of women together for a long (or even short) period of time and you can only imagine what kind of drama will prevail. 

Yemassee is a small community where everyone knows everyone.  Many of the women featured run businesses and families which will be left behind for their spouses and teen-age children to maintain and run.  From full-time working dads of twins to a 21-year old fire chief who will miss his mom (who hasn't cut the apron strings) and new fiance, there are many challenges ahead for these families.  I found it amusing that several of the dads of young children decided to move in together while the women were gone.  They figured they would do better handling the kids as a team.  Also, a 24-year old Marine is now responsible for his 31-year old girlfriend's teen-age daughters and tween son.  Boy, do they take advantage of him.  His girlfriend is pretty hot, but she may not be hot enough to keep him after all of this.  And who can forget the 4-year old "grown-up" little girl, Ellie Kate, who demands her coffee every morning.  Wow, is she a character.  It will be interesting to see how her dad copes with her precociousness.  This is also the dad who has been put in charge of coordinating a kid's beauty pageant while the women are gone. 

I look forward to watching this series and I hope you get a chance to watch it too!






 

Social Media & How We Lost Our Communication Skills

Being in the food service industry has introduced me to a different interaction with people.

When I was sitting behind a desk, in a professional environment, I used the computer to type documents, prepare presentations and converse over email.  I used the telephone to answer questions, have conversations and get information.  I went to meetings to talk and listen to people face-to-face and I actually had real relationships with the people who came into my office to sit down and chat.

Now that I am working with the public in a more relaxed, casual environment, I see who is out there and that most people just don't have the desire to have conversations or even look up from their telephones.  I don't know how many times I approach a table and greet them with a "Hi, how are you today?" only to get them request a water with lemon without even looking me in the eyes.  They are too busy texting or playing games on their phones.  In fact, I waited on one table that consisted of a mother, father and two tweens and every single one of them was playing on their phone at the table.  Come on!!!!  

What is this world coming to when we can't even use our voices or have meaningful conversations with someone anymore?  We rely so much on technology and I only imagine it getting worse in the future.  Don't get me wrong, I love technology and use it on a daily basis.  It does seem that the younger generation (pre-teens, teens, young adults) are not the only culprits, many people in their 40's are teaching this kind of social trend.

I must say, lots of other servers don't like to wait on the "older generation" but I really love it.  These are the people who are grandparents and great grandparents.  They have been around in a world without all of the social media and probably have no desire to ever learn about it.  They have real talks and real stories that they will share with you whenever they feel like it.  They genuinely care when they await your response to "How are you today?"

I had a conversation with my daughter about social media recently and how kids her age are using it to express all of their feelings to the world instead of talking to their parents, writing poetry or even calling up a friend (as I did when I was her age).  If teens have a problem with someones actions, they take to the Internet or texting to express their feelings instead of going straight to the person and just talking things out.  This leads to so much confusion and many more people's involvement.  I guess I can't limit this behaviour to just teens, I know plenty of marriages that have unfolded over the Internet and Facebook.  It's put right out there for all of us to be a part of and to react to.   


One of the biggest problems I see (and there are many) is that when you rely on written word to get your point across, there is no reflection to hear and no guarantee all of your words will be taken the way that you mean them.  Texts can get lost, sarcasm can be detected (or not detected) and cap locks can accidentally be used when we are not even upset.  Why not just pick up the phone or go hang out and talk things through?


Okay, I am done venting and I am going to step off of my soap box.

The Wedding (February 19, 2012)

Our Wedding - February 19, 2012

For those of you who know, Daniel and I have been together for about 8 years.  We both were previously married and we have children from those marriages.  We have lived together for just about all of those 8 years, so in our eyes, we were married.  Daniel proposed to me many years back, and I was just too chicken to commit to an "official" marriage again. 

On Friday, February 17th at 3:00 PM, I decided I was finally ready to get married to my love, my life, Daniel.  So, in true Jenn fashion, I blurted this out to Daniel, who had just gotten home from work.  We immediately started trying to figure out how we were going to make it work.  With Monday being a holiday, all three of the kids would be out of school and Dan and I could take the day off.  His parents happen to be in AZ for awhile (from CO) so we contacted them to see if they would be able to get away with us and then I called my mom.  Everyone was excited and felt I was a little crazy because in an instant, I had become Bridezilla.

I would like to say our wedding was like the picture above, which would have been my ideal wedding.  But, when you have 3 kids, in-laws, family, dogs, a limited budget, travel and only 24 hours to plan, things are not so picture perfect - lol.

Between 3PM to approximately 12AM, I was in a race to find 3 hotel rooms in Vegas, a wedding chapel, someone to feed our dogs while we were away, find a dress, rings, kids clothes, etc.  I was feeling the stress!

After a few hours of sleep, Daniel and I rushed to Khol's Department Store during their hour of savings promotion and looked for rings and clothes.  After much consideration, we finally found the rings for our wedding.  I must interject in Daniel's defense, we found HIS ring immediately, all the rest of the time, I was being particular about mine - of course, I am the bride *wink*.  My fingers were completely swollen from trying on rings (and the Redbull I woke up to) so I was glad to have made a decision.  Next, we were onto finding shirts for the boys and Daniel.  This was a pretty simple process so out the door we went.

We ran a few quick errands and home to get packed and get everyone ready. 

We set out for Vegas at 10:00 am, right on time (surprising, I know).  We had a stop along the way to get some ice cream, which made the kids very happy.  With two 11 year-old boys and a 15 year-old daughter crammed into the backseat of my Corolla, I must say that the kids did really well.

By now, we had 3 rooms booked at Arizona Charlie's Decatur, a chapel booked at A Special Memory Wedding Chapel, his sister and her daughter getting on a plane to fly out from CO, his parents and my mom getting ready to head to NV.  Everything seemed to be coming together, all that was left was getting our marriage license and to find a dress for me.

Daniel's son has been to Vegas several times, but my kids had not ever been there, so when we arrived during the day, they were not impressed.  They had expected it to look as it does in the movies, with lights and glitter, etc.  Instead, it just looked like Phoenix.  We explained that they would change their minds at night, and sure enough, they did.

We ran some errands while the rooms were being upgraded for us (no charge I might add) and ate a little snack. One of our errands was to get our license.  As we walked up the steps to the court house, we were bombarded by, what felt like, the paparazzi.  Instead of flash bulbs and cameras, we were rushed by photographers, dress rental companies, chapel personnel, limo drivers galore.  Everyone wanted our business and it was REALLY irritating.  We finally got inside the building and quickly got our certificate.  Upon leaving, we had to endure the "crowd" one more time.

Back at the hotel, in our rooms, finally!  Daniel had to go to the airport to pick up his family and by then, our parents had arrived.  A little later, the 10 of us hit the strip in search of, what you might ask?  I wish I could tell you, but I did not know.  There were no agendas that evening other than those of each individual.  Some were the same as others, some were different.  The once Bridezilla that I was had been replaced with the follower of the crowd instead of the leader of the crowd.  In retrospect, Daniel and I should have handled the plans of the weekend a little different, insisting that everyone do their own thing (except our kids) and that we would meet up with everyone at the chapel.  Since there were only two cars in our group of 10, this made that difficult.  

We started out at the MGM and ended up at New York, NY.  The group wanted to ride the roller coaster, which they did.  A few of us stayed in the arcade while the boys played games.  My stomach was too nervous to attempt the coaster, but to my surprise, my mom road it.  After that adventure, we had to find a place for the 10 of us to eat. 

Finding a dress was the only thing on my mind at this time.  I didn't want to outshine Daniel, who would be wearing black slacks and a blue, button up dress shirt.  But I wanted to be beautiful and elegant.  Being 40 pounds overweight, I knew this would be difficult.  The longer I put off finding a dress, the more stressed I became.

After dinner, my mom stayed behind at a casino since walking the strip was not her cup of tea.  I wish at that moment I would have made my own decisions about the rest of the night and finding a dress, but instead, I set off walking with the group.  As it turned out, there was a giant, 3-story Ross store on the other side of the street so I was happy that I would get to go look for my dress there.  As we continued our walk, we found out that the group was heading to the Bellagio to watch the water show.  Along the way, while steering our 11 and 15 year-olds through the crowd, we were trampling over gobs of pornography littering the streets and being handed to passers by.  The boys were enjoying the scenery I think - lol.

After the show, we crossed to the other side of the street.  At 11:00 PM, we got to the front doors of Ross only to find that they had just closed.  No dress for me!  Back to the car we go.

Sunday morning my mom, my daughter, Sedona and I headed out to find a dress.  Daniel, the boys and the others ate and went back to the strip.  Our wedding was scheduled for 2:00 PM.

I knew that there was a mall called The Fashion Show not far from where we were staying, but getting gas put into the car was first priority.  Using my handy-dandy GPS app on my Iphone was not as reliable as it usually was in Arizona.  After trying to find a gas station for nearly 15 minutes, we came upon a AM/PM and filled er' up.  We got to the mall (surprisingly) fairly quick and determined that it would not be open until 11:00 AM - this was cutting it close.  We got some breakfast and while Sedona and my mom did some of their own shopping, I ran through the mall trying to find any stores that were opening early.  I went into Macy's at 11 AM and found their gown section.  I gathered many and took them into the dressing room.  

What I had in my mind for a dress, what I found and how they looked on me were all different things.  My anxiety (and maybe the burrito  I had for breakfast) were all taking effect on me.  The clock was ticking and I was not happy.  I tried using my cell phone to call Sedona and my mom, but there was no service in the stinking mall!  Tears were forming, I was panicking and not finding anything that looked good.  I left Macy's and found my family.  I began to cry and was comforted by my mom.  I explained everything I had just been through and that for the price I was going to pay for something that I was not completely happy with, I might as well wear the back-up outfit that I had brought for "just in case".  We agreed and headed off to find some hose to go with the black skirt and pretty blue top I had waiting back at the hotel.  A vendor along the way stated that I had bags under my eyes (no shit!), no sleep, stress and day-old makeup will do that to you.  We passed by a Bare Minerals store and got the brilliant idea to get a quick (40 minute) make-over.  All the while I am looking at the clock, panicking and trying to hold back tears (still had to find those hose too!).  After my make-over (which was beautiful, I must say), we finally found the hose and headed to the car.  The time was now about 12:45 and I wanted to be at the chapel by 1:30 - this was NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.  

Getting back to the hotel was fairly quick, it did not hurt that I was breaking the land speed record.  In route, we received a few calls from our group, informing us that we were going to be late - REALLY?  We imagined them all thinking that we were just lolly-gagging around - if they had only known all that we had been through!  We parked the car and ran to the hotel (literally) and up to our floor.  As we got out of the elevator (at about 1:30), our whole group, was sitting in the lobby with angry and disappointed looks on their faces.  This is what "we" saw, but they swear that is not the case. 

In the room, I am crying and trying to quickly get into my outfit.  Daniel came into the room and tried to calm me down.  He stated that he pushed back the wedding (for an additional fee) and that everything would be alright.  This man had amazing patience - my husband to be.  He assisted me in getting my uncooperative blouse on, which alone was comical.

Where were my shoes????  Oh, no!  I had forgotten my shoes!  I NEVER forget anything, so I could not believe this and wasted time trying to find them.  We determined that the shoes were not there and that we would need to stop at a store to get some.  Great!  More time wasted.  Forget about doing something pretty with my hair - but at least I had make-up on.

We arrived at the chapel, which was lovely.  The ceremony was quick but memorable.   The pastor quoted 1 Corinthians 13:4 ( Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud) which happens to be one of my favorite verses.  After, we took pictures, inside and outside.  It was a windy day, so this posed some challenges for the photographer and my hair.  

Later, we all went to dinner, gambling and bowling.  It was an AWESOME day and I was so relieved that the stress was over.

We have wonderful memories from our experience and although it was stressful, my loving, patient husband and I got through it TOGETHER and we were so glad we were able to share it with some of our loved ones.

The Search for Daddy's Kidney

This is my cousin, Matthew Zehm. Matthew Zehm is a 36 year old father of two, Sebastian-8 and Ethan-5. Matthew is dying from a kidney disease and needs your help. Please donate!!!!!




 UPDATE #2:  On October 14, 2011, Matthew Zehm went to Heaven to be with the angels.  His body rejected the new kidney and he spent months and months on dialysis and being in and out of the hospital. He decided that in his final time here on earth, he would go through hospice and spend his time with the ones that he loved.  A celebration of life party was attended by many, as well as by Matthew.  It was evident that Matt was very well loved by so many friends and family.  Less than a week later, Matthew passed away with his family at his side.

UPDATE: Hooray, Matthew has had a kidney transplant and is now recovering.

Decisions, Decisions

I recently had a lot to think about and many worries running through my mind.  My husband and I began planning a move from Arizona to Colorado.  The idea behind this move was that we both wanted out of the horrible, Arizona heat and by moving to Colorado, we would be with Dan's family.  

Our timing of this decision was not ideal as school will begin next month.  In order to make the move work, we had so many variables to consider, i.e. jobs, where to live, school for the kids, moving my mom, money, etc.  There were many steps that would need to be taken and so many plans to be made that is was a very overwhelming decision.  I know that people do it all the time, but this was stressful.  On top of everything we had to think about, we had to approach our kid's "other" parents, whom we currently share custody with in Arizona.  Talk about a hard thing to do!

My ex-husband took some time to consider and weight what would be best for our two kids.  Dan's ex-wife literally took four hours and made her decision based, what I believe, was solely on what was best for her.  She said no!  Dan was devastated and put in a position of having to figure out whether moving away from his child was something he could do.  He struggled.  I was still waiting to hear about whether my kids would be able to go and could not even begin to think what I would do if they could not.  Luckily, it did not get that far.

After long talks and stressful feelings, Dan and I came to the decision to stay in Arizona.  I must admit that I was relieved.  Dan was worried I would resent him for not wanting to go through with it, but I was just glad that we made a decision.  I am not one that can stare at a problem and not "do" something about it.  I need action right away.  Don't get me wrong, I do weigh all sides, but I need to see progress and get things either moving or end them.

The tough thing about getting excited over the move was that there was going to be change, lots of it.  I have been craving change for awhile now.  Whether it be change in my job, change in environment, something, I just know I need it!  So, we talked further and decided we would suffer through the heat and find a way to make some changes in our lives that would make us happier people, parents and husband and wife.  And although I am craving change, I am so happy to have most things stay the same.

Ripping My Heart Out

Last night, I sat with my kids to try to comfort them as they mourned the loss of their Grandpa, Larry. Their Grandpa was a special man who really knew how to make people laugh. He always had a smile on his face and was quite the character. He was a great Grandpa to his grand kids, as he taught them many things, including gardening. My kids grew up around their grandpa and saw him often, so his passing was pretty tough. And although I am no longer considered part of "that" side of the family, I too am mourning the loss of the man who was my second father for over 14 years. And even when things were tense, Larry always knew how to welcome me into his arms for a big, strong, bear hug. This was the first time my kids really had to deal with death of a family member, and to see them hurt so bad, it rips my heart out. I know the best thing is to remember all the good memories and to know that he is in a happy place, watching and protecting everyone. Rest in Peace, Larry.

It Happens To The Best Of Us, My Dear

My almost 13 year-old daughter was looking at old pictures of me from when I was much younger and much thinner. She immediately got this real animated voice and said, "Look at my mom, she is so young!" Similar things were said over, and over again throughout the night as if she could not believe I was ever younger than I am now. She acted as if it was sad that I am now so very old. I told her, "It happens to the best of us, my dear. You too will get old!"

PMS - Or Just A Bad Day?

So.....I am sure that I will be stirring the waters with my topic, but I want to know what you all think.

I am generally a pretty easy going person. I do have my opinions but I get along with everyone. People who know me know that I don't curse, I don't say mean things to people and I am usually fairly happy in appearance. Of course, I can have my complaints now and then, but I laugh them off.

I know people who are complete opposites from what I mentioned above, almost 365 days a year. You can never make them happy, they are upset with the world and carry a super huge chip on their shoulders. That's fine, they are entitled if they feel so inclined.

What I am about to say may surprise you, but once a month, usually only one day, I can be a little moody. I can be sad or a little on edge and I have been known to pick a few fights with the hubby. You might know other women who get this way, heck, you yourself might be this way.

The question of the day is: If women are emotional or have a bad day, why do men always blame it on PMS? When they have a bad day, they can't use that excuse - so why do they feel we are not entitled to have a bad day?

I am just asking.......

Movie Review: Marley & Me

Hang on to your Kleenex! I knew this movie would have a sad ending, but I couldn't help crying during the last twenty minutes. Was it a good movie? Yes, of course! Should everyone see this? Yes - most definitely!!!! The movie, over-all was part comedy, part drama. It was very entertaining.

Marley & Me wasn't just a movie about a cute dog. This movie was about love, life, family, choices, and happiness. The movie follows John & Jenny Grogan, a newly married couple, played by Owen Wilson & Jennifer Aniston. The casting for this movie was great - the two made a very believable couple.

John & Jenny decide to get a puppy, enter Marley. Marley is as adorable as can be, and if you have ever had a puppy, you can relate to all of the wonderful side-effects to taking care of puppy. If Marley isn't chewing the floor, howling at thunderstorms or humping the stuffed animals, he is running off down the beach with everyone chasing him. This dog becomes a lot of work for the newly married couple, who eventually decide to start a family.

Throughout the movie, we learn about the Grogan family and the trials and tribulations of building a solid family and about holding onto your individualty. I related to a lot of this movie, since everyone always looks at the greener grass on the other side and wonders what it would be like. We see this when we observe John's relationship with his successful friend, Sabastian.

John and Jenny build their family and realize that it is all worth it; the screaming kids, the sleepless nights, the chewed up couch and all the joys that family brings. Throughout the movie, Marley ages as does the family. I began to cry as I realized that the dog has been there as a permanante fixture of the family and as he ages, we know the inevitable will soon happen.

Although it has a sad ending, the movie really is wonderful and I hear the book is great too. I hope I did not spoil the movie, but I really enjoyed so many aspects of this that I wanted to share it with you.

Did you see the movie? Could you relate with it? Do you have any CRAZY dog stories? The floor is open.....

BBQ Pumpkin Pie - Oh My!

This Thanksgiving, we were surprised by the phone call that Dan's sister and her family of five (+1 dog) were driving from CO to stay with us for the holiday. Once they got here, we received another surprise - his parents were able to make it as well. Their party of 7, plus our party of 5 and my mom, made for lots of holiday happenings.


My wonderful husband, Dan, is a great chef. Not only did he smoke ONE turkey in the bbq, he smoked TWO turkeys and bbq'd a pumpkin pie! Everyone could not go on enough about how awesome the meal was. Dan really did a great job. Kudos to everyone for their participation and for the wonderful contributions to the meal.


What was the main thing I loved about the meal? That superman himself told me I didn't have to lift a finger OR clean!!!! Can you believe that? I didn't think it was possible to love him any more, but after that comment, can you blame me?


Dan truly is a amazing man and I am lucky to have his love and support (and his wonderful cooking).

Review of Nintendo's Wii Fit

Dan bought me Nintendo's Wii Fit when it first came out. We were both very excited with the purchase and actively played it for a couple of weeks. If you have not made this small investment for your Wii system (it's about $100), you should. It's a fun activity for the whole family.

Wii Fit is meant to help you improve your balance, get exercise and have fun doing it. There are four core options in Wii Fit: yoga, strength training, balance games and aerobics. Within each of those sections, there are lots of fun, useful activities.

When you start doing Wii Fit, you get to create a character and choose what kind of goal you are trying to acomplish. You will weigh yourself and be able to set up your own, private account. You are given a piggy bank that keeps track of the time you spend doing your workout throughout the system. Everyday you sign in, you will be given an opportunity to do some balance tests and determine your Wii age. You will also get to place a stamp on your calendar if you decide to do certain tests. After each activity, you will get coins in your bank. After thirty minutes of exercise, you will be reminded to take a break. Throughout the game, your Wii Balance Board talks to you and makes exercising fun. In addition, each time you perform an activity, you will see what rank you receive for your efforts. This is a fun tool for motivation. You will also be able to open more activities within each section.

I will start with the funnest section and that is the balance games. There is soccer heading, ski slalom, ski jump and table tilt. There are also more games that open up once you have played more. These include tight-rope walking, a penguin game and a bubble river game. These are all fun to do and help to build balance.

The aerobics section has boxing, step aerobics, running, and hula hoop. Each of those are available in beginner and advanced. If you continue to do several of the activities, without stopping, you will find that you do get a pretty good workout. No workout is more than 5 minutes long, unless you choose an advanced level, and then I believe they might be a little longer.

For the strength training and yoga sections, you will be offered one of two personal trainers who will guide you through each exercise. They are great at encouraging and helping you to perform the exercise properly.

The strength training section which includes various activities, when done in repetitions can be really beneficial. Again, as you continue to perform the exercises, new ones open up.

With the Yoga section you will be given many popular poses to strengthen your body and help find the center of your balance. These include the Warior pose, the Half Moon and the Standing Tree.

As you can see, Nintendo's Wii Fit is fun for the whole family. In my opinion, it is not meant for mega workout freaks, but I think it is a good low-impact type of exercise for anyone who just wants to get off the couch, have fun and get a little bit of a workout.

Re-Post: 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!!!!!

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!

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!!!!!