Love it!

My girls found this song about IU and it is awesome. It is sort of like a retort to the "Black and Yellow" song that is the craze now. I like this one much better! You have to go to YouTube and search for "This is Indiana". It'll pop up a video. Watch it and you'll be singing the lyrics all day long, I guarantee it!

Keeping Quiet

I find it hard to not say what's on my mind. I mean, it almost kills me to A) not say what I want to people, and B) not wear my heart on my sleeve at all times. I'm just that kind of emotional girl. Now, don't get me wrong. I don't think I'm one of those women who crawl at people's feet with every little needy nuance of life. Rather, I am a sensitive, emotion-driven woman who feels the need to be open and honest with others. I guess that's a good way to put it. Nevertheless, this kind of gets me into a bit of trouble at times. Take right now, for instance. There are sooooo many things that I want to say to several different people, but I know in my mind that I simply cannot do it. I cannot say the things I feel the need to say. It'll stir up trouble. Big trouble. And I don't think those cans of worms need to be opened. I guess as they say, some things are better left unsaid. I just find it very difficult to put into practice. Some things I want to say may offer someone else some comfort, whereas other things I want to say to someone may hurt them terribly. I'll be the bigger person and not act on what I want to say. I'll keep it to myself. Sure, I'll suffer somewhat, but it's what I have to do I suppose. I must keep my emotions checked at the door. I wonder how others do it?

Could've

I could have mentioned the name of the wine: Poet's Leap.

Reisling

A couple of months ago we took a road trip to Ohio and went to Jungle Jim's. It is a very large grocery store that has all sorts of exotic foods and foods from around the world. Another lovely thing about Jungle Jim's is the large alcohol section. There are wines from every vineyard imaginable. While there, I was able to find a wine that is normally not available to me. It is a reisling that I love. Since the sticker price was $25 a bottle, I got only one on my limited budget. I saved the wine for as long as I could. I opened it last night. I savored every single glass I drank. It was beautiful. The wine is a bit drier than that of a Chateau St. Michelle or a Fetzer or a Kendall Jackson. It is not too dry, though, because I don't like them very dry. The hint of fruit is satisfying. I was pleased to have found it in Ohio. Too bad the liquor stores around here don't carry it. That would please me even more! I guess I'll just have to see it as an indulgence - something that I can look forward to every once and a while. (Unless I want to stop by Bonefish Grill with my girlfriends and indulge there.) Now, that doesn't sound half bad, either! :)

Things come back around eventually

I never thought it would happen, but it has. The proverbial "boat shoes" have come back into style. Yes, you heard it here. My daughters are on the bandwagon. I'm not sure I've come all the way around to the idea, but they are slowly sucking me in. Sperry's are the name brand of the shoes they are hot over. Now, my oldest daughter likes the leather ones. A true vintage look. I, however, like the plaid ones more. (go figure. I'm a nut for plaid and paisley...) Look them up. See if you could handle a pair. They are for men and women!

Sleepy time

I was glad to sleep in this morning. When I woke up before five with sleepy eyes, I looked outside my bedroom window. I saw what I thought to be streetlights reflecting off the wet asphalt of the street. Then, not too near in the future, I got a phone call telling me school was out. NO SCHOOL once again. I turned over, and I went back to sleep. I woke up a little before nine. It was nice to sleep in. I must've needed it.

Welcome to the Jungle

Going back to the South Decatur gym has me reeling with memories of all the time I spent there growing up. In the nineties, the song that played nonstop there was "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns N Roses. When I say nonstop, that's exactly what I mean! We had shirts that were adorned by it, posters, megaphones, and more. It was crazy. So, tonight, I'll be taking a road trip with my daughters to go see JC play SD. I think JC will kick butt, but that's okay. It'll be an opportunity for the girls and I to see many of our old friends. We will also be eating at the local pizza place, a hole in the wall with excellent breadstics, again bringing me back to my youth when my friends and I would order them while working at the local Dairy Queen. We'd order both marinara and cheese sauce, then dip the breadstick in one directly followed by the other. It was such a tasty combination. That was our life! That and strombolis. Yum! Bring back the memories, SD. Bring 'em back.

Touchy

I've been so sentimental and touchy lately. Everything that is said, done, implied, or not done affects me greatly. I don't know what it is or why this is happening. I have seriously been in this deep dark depression about returning to work. I have to work three hours today (hours of my choice) and then return to work full time tomorrow with my students being present. I'm simply not ready for it. I'm not ready to hear my alarm go off at 5:45am, me wanting to hit snooze several times. I'm not ready to jump right into the shower once my feet hit the floor. I'm not ready to then wake up my eldest so that she can shower, then wake up my middle daughter, then my youngest. I'm not ready to hear the potential bickering of a morning while everyone is trying to get ready and stay out of other people's way. I'm not ready to finally make it to school, already tired. Then, I'm forced to run ragged once the bell rings at 3:02pm sometimes making three or four trips to the middle or high school for practices and/or games. I'm simply not ready to return to the hustle and bustle of my daily existence.
To some, this may sound horrible. That I should have known this was going to be my life when I made the decision to have three children. No, because when that happened, I genuinely thought there would be a father involved in the process, too. Wishful thinking that was, huh! Let's just say it hasn't turned out the way I expected.
I wanna get in my bed, cover up with a warm, cozy blanket, and sip my diet mountain dew from my bedside table while watching the Food Network. I don't see anything wrong with that.

Not a Blizzard

Why is it that after every Christmas the house looks like a tornado went through it? Man, that's hard to live with...

A very merry Christmas

The holidays are drawing to a close as far as Christmas goes. Sure, there's the new year to contend with, but the fever of Christmas is dwindling down. My girls have had a good Christmas. They received money, a new bicycle, a new cellphone, DJ Hero 2, and more. We had fun playing dirty bingo at Grandma's house and look forward to our last Christmas tomorrow at Mom and Dad's. Tonight our little circle of adult girlfriends are getting together to do a Colts gift exchange, watch the game, and eat some hearty snacks. I'm sure there will be a friendly game of euchre as well. (Some cheat better than others...)
We have basketball tournaments coming up, a trip to Clarksville, and a new year celebration. It'll be a busy week, but one that I'm sure to enjoy. Make those new year resolutions everyone! The time has arrived!

Santa Claus is coming to town

If you've been good, Santa is coming tonight. Get excited!
As of this very minute, I have not wrapped a single gift for anyone yet. I know! Total slacker. Truthfully, the girls are always right here beside me, so I don't have the opportunity to wrap their gifts without them seeing me carry them in, or waltzing in on me in the act. Guess there are a few hours left to get them finished.

Mom, the girls, and I are all going to church service at 5 tonight. I'm glad I talked her into it. I hope they sing all kinds of good Christmas songs in the service. It's not the traditional church service. It is really good, though. I'm looking forward to it. Keeps me focused on Him.

This year our Christmas visits to relatives is kind of spread out, so we haven't really been rushed like it has seemed so in the past. That's kind of nice. Makes it less stressful.

To all of you out there, have a blessed Christmas!

Wicked

Last Sunday the girls and I got to go on a wonderful "field trip" with the JCMS choir. We had the chance to go see the Broadway musical, Wicked in Indianapolis at the Murat Theater. It was kind of crazy driving through downtown Indy over by Mass Ave. I haven't been there in years. Yeah, I've been in Indy, but not on that edge of town. The musical was great. I, naturally, cried when Elphie sang "Defying Gravity" and flew on stage. She belts out this tune and it goes right through me. Theater gives me electric vibes that nothing else can besides a good set of music. I'm glad the girls had a chance to see the wonderful show.
Today was our last school day and now our Christmas break begins. I'm so ready for it. I need a break from middle schoolers. And it is supposed to be a white Christmas!! (Do not confuse my enthusiasm with love of winter and snow. This is only one day that I like to have snow on the ground! Not an entire season.)

Mom and Dad

We went to see my mom and dad last night in Westport. We laughed a lot and had a good time. I miss seeing them, actually. My schedule is such that it doesn't allow me much time to do anything out of our routine. So, it was a good change of pace. I'm looking forward to spending some time with them during the holidays. On a downer note, I did not get to see my Princess when she was home. The snow did not allow us time together and I am so upset by that. I miss her like crazy. She is like one of my own, so not getting to see her hurt. I guess that's just a sign that I need to make a trip out to see her in L.A.!
The girls and I had a blast last night watching the show Sing Off on TV last night while we screamed of joy when it started snowing heavily. That show is just plain awesome. I like watching the show then laughing when the girls replicate what the groups are singing. They can belt out the tunes, my girls. Pretty soon they'll be beginning to leave my house to start lives of their own. I treasure some of these times now, because they won't last forever.
Since we have another snow day today, I wonder what I will bake just for the heck of it. . .

The Christmas Baby

She was due on Christmas Day, but complications brought her two weeks early. My oldest daughter turns seventeen years old today. She's one year away from adulthood. That is so hard to believe for me. Happy Birthday, Sis! I love you.

Dear Sir

Dear P. Manning,
What is going on with you? You're game is seriously suffering due to unforseen circumstances. What has changed in your life that you are now playing like every other rinkydink quarterback in the NFL? Are we going all Favre on the place? What's up with you? I still love the Colts, but jeez! Get it together! We aren't even going to make the playoffs!
Love,
Nina Shoultz

Over $6,000 worth

among other things

I have a lot going on. Period. I know - who doesn't, right? But, this is my blog, so I'm allowed to complain or explain.
Since the car accident, I have been without a vehicle. However, out of the kindess of her heart, my co-worker is letting me borrow hers. But, just how long am I expected to do that? You'd think since this accident was another girl's fault, the rental car thing should be expedited soon. Nope. No one but me is in a hurry to do anything about it. No big deal to anyone else but me.
I go to get the police report today after school and I get to the bulletproof window to ask the attendant for the report. She questions me very curtly, "Who are you? Who is this for? When was the accident?" So, I gave the necessary information. She then begins to write me a receipt for the five dollar fee she is about to charge me for the report (see also "ripoff"). When I get ready to hand her a ten, she says, "Oh, ma'am, we don't give change here. You'll have to go get change and then come back." Oh, okay. So I have to make a trip to the nearest gas station to get change for a ten. Naturally, I must buy something to get change (see also "ripoff"). I do so. I get a five and three ones back and head back for the sherrif's office. Back into the front door I go to the bulletproof glass window. Obviously the not so nice woman recognizes me. She waits (impatiently) for me to hand her the five dollar bill. I do so. She then reaches over behind a sherrif leaning his butt on the counter and pulls out my report. She halfheartedly smiles and slyly says, "Oh, looks like he bent it!" with a chuckle. I, at that point, was not amused to say the least. I took my report and waltzed back to my car (oops, not MY car, of course). I was not happy to have spent the twenty minutes I did on the whole excursion. Now, after reviewing the report, it doesn't even have the telephone number of her insurance on there. Just a name. Perfect. Just perfect. More run-around work for someone to do. I say, not ME. That's what I'm paying insurance for. So, take that, someone.
Just think, by this time next year, I ought to have a rental car.
In other news...my real dad is in the hospital. And, nothing new, I can't be there in Florida to be with him. He is not doing too well according to my half sister. I wouldn't want to see him this way, she told me. He has been in dire pain for four days, lying in the hospital waiting. The doctors had to check his heart because they didn't think it was strong enough to make it through the gallbladder surgery he needed to have. Today they did an angioplasty and found that the many stints they have in his heart are all open, so he is good to go on the surgery. He will have it tomorrow. My stepmom said that he is sleeping from the angioplasty surgery at the moment. He won't have much time to rest from that until he has to go right into another surgery tomorrow. It sucks being so far away and not being able to get there to be with him and my brother and sister. I feel helpless. Just another one of those things that I have to deal with being the biological daughter who lives so far away, uninvolved. I hate it. So, I went to church tonight to make sure I keep my focus. One of my very good friends there listened while I spilled the beans about all that is going on. She hugged me and told me what I needed to hear. I love her for that. Thank goodness I have supportive church friends.

Well, wait a minute.

Maybe I don't want it to be totaled. I've read some things that indicate I might hope it isn't totaled. Oh, this is more than I feel I can handle right now. Trust me.

Talk about your opportunities...

Well, last night will be engrained in my memory for a long time. It was an opportunity to give everything to God. That's the only way I can look at it.
While we were at Aunt Cindy's at around 6:30pm, Whitey decided he wanted to go home. He was sleepy. So, I told him the girls and I would stay at my aunt's and Krea would drop us off at home later. Meanwhile, there were about four cars behind ours in the driveway. So, Whitey had to wait for them to move (they were leaving), then he could get our car out. He waited. He pulled out of the driveway, was putting the car in drive, and out of nowhere this car came flying up the road and slammed into our car. She was driving with no headlights, and did not even put on the brakes. She claimed she didn't see Whitey. She hit the passenger side rear tire and quarterpanel, spun Whitey around, and put him in the ditch facing the road. He took out Aunt Cindy's mailbox and landed two feet away from a telephone pole. We had folding chairs in the back of the Acadia and an opened case of water that I grab from for work each morning. Those items were heaved up in the back window, which didn't break, suprisingly. Had we girls decided to have gone with him, we would have been hurt. Thank God we didn't. What keeps replaying in my mind is the thunderous "Boom!" we all heard when the crash happened. We could hear it in the house amongst the noise all the people were making. It was so loud. I also won't forget the instant panic that I felt when the people who went to the front door shouted it was Whitey in my car. That made for some intantaneous tears. So, my car had to be towed, the frame might be bent, and the passenger back end is mangled. It cut the tire in two, also. As the wrecker service workers were pulling the Acadia up on the flatbed, the wheels wouldn't even turn right. So, I'm hoping that it'll just be totaled so I can get my lease over with now. What sucks is that I don't know what car I'm going to drive. I can drive Mak's, but that means I'll have to taxi her to and from work while trying to take and pick up Cam and Syd from practices and games. Don't know how that's gonna work! I'm trying to just trust that God will take care of it all. That's all I can do. I'm so very thankful it wasn't worse. It surely could have been. Someone could have been seriously hurt.

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

I had the opportunity to go to NYC and see the Macy's Day Parade firsthand. The parade was awesome despite the rainy day. Too see those floats, celebrities, and huge balloons tethered to many walking people was fantastic. It's a sight I'll never forget. Then, after the parade, I had some hot chocolate in a favorite deli/store on Broadway that sells all kinds of croissants, pastries, salads, and sandwiches. Being in that city is exhilarating. It is alive with a pulse so palpable that it's electrifying. I wish I could be there to witness that with my girls just one time all together. It would be a memory to last them a lifetime. If only...