Lazy, Hazy Days of Summer

I love all the seasons for different reasons.  Summer is a great season....even if it is blazing hot outside.

Flip flops and tee shirts.  Shorts and tank tops. Wearing sunglasses. Getting a tan. The smell of suntan lotion. Running through yard sprinklers or spending a day at the lake. Maybe the ocean.  Sand and salt on your skin.  Outdoor picnics, grilling burgers and hot dogs. The taste of sweet corn with butter dripping off of it, a nice cold iced tea. Staying up late. Sitting out on the deck to watch fire flies as they light up the darkness. Watching fireworks as they explode in the night. Feeling pride to be a citizen of the good ol' U.S.A. Swinging on the porch swing. Listening to the crickets chirp.

The days are longer....the sun sets later. Everything is more relaxed. That's what I like about summer.

Cranes Falling From The Sky

Okay, that's it. I'm not walking anywhere in the city where there is a crane being used. I saw the sad story on the news this morning about another crane falling over and one person being killed and others being seriously injured. These crane accidents are becoming more frequent. It unnerves me. I mean one minute a person is walking along down on the sidewalk, minding their own business when WHAM! the next thing she/he, knows she/he is smacked down by a huge metal crane. Now, just between you and me that is not the way I want to leave this life. The last crane accident smashed a building in. Those things must be pretty heavy....and for them to be attached to a building while working is pretty scary stuff.

I now officially have a crane and other heavy machinery phobia. I cannot be around construction equipment. This phobia does not bode well for me considering my family is having a house built. I will watch from a far.....away from the big equipment.

What's A Teacher To Do?

On the news this morning was a story about how a teacher was taped by one of her kindergarten students. The parents didn't like how the teacher was treating their 5 yr. old son so they sent him to school "wired". Now I don't agree that the teacher should have used some of the words she did...she obviously was very frustrated with this little guy...BUT one of the analysts for this segment said that she thought the teacher should not only be fired but be sued by the parents. Should the teacher have called the child names? No. Definitely not. Should she be reprimanded? Probably so. But let's be real. We don't know the whole story here....just hearing a few sound bites and then jumping to a conclusion is ridiculous. One of the other ladies on the panel said, "this child could have been kicking, rolling around on the floor, and biting." As a former teacher I can understand that. If this little boy was unruly and disruptive to everyone else in the class-making it extremely difficult for anyone else to concentrate, what is a teacher to do? What happens when the other children's parents call and say, "This child is biting (screaming, hitting, cursing etc.) my child. What are you going to do about it?" In the meantime the teacher is expected to teach lessons and have the other 20 children listen and comprehend. Learn how to be polite and share. Learn to follow directions. Keep them on task. Challenge the bright children, help the slower learners.... Most of the time the principal of the school is busy with administrative challenges of his/her own. Time is at a premium. Classroom discipline is left up to the teacher and since teachers are only human, frustration sets in. Some days are more difficult then others.....Now, like I said earlier, this teacher should not have called names to a 5 year old. On the other hand, no I do not believe that she should be sued or fired.

It really is getting to the point where teachers can not do anything to discipline students. The story last week about the male teacher attempting to break up a fight in a middle school was also reprimanded. Should he have let the students kill each other instead? Or just beat each other to a bloody pulp? Or rather be like the teachers in a Memphis high school that were supposed to be chaperoning a dance and instead stood back and let the kids "dance", simulating various sexual postures. Is this now considered "normal"?

To be honest, teachers are getting more and more restricted in ANYTHING that they can do---either to protect themselves or their students. Constantly having to worry about being fired or sued. Teaching is certainly not for the pay. Most teachers genuinely care about their students. I have a feeling if things continue this way that there won't be many good teachers left.

I love HGTV

I am currently watching a show called House Hunters.  Couples go around looking at various houses. They have to make a choice of which house they are interested in buying. I always find these shows interesting because of the things that are "deal breakers" for people. Some people like crown molding, some think cabinets are dated, carpet or hardwood? As I now know (what with building a house and all) houses can be a BIG deal. I'm always amazed at how much these houses cost for not a lot of space. Certain parts of the country are worse then others. I remember watching one show where this couple in California were going to buy a house and I promise it wasn't much larger then a good size closet (okay, slight exaggeration) and the sellers wanted like 900,000 for it. I about fell out of my chair! So what if it's in a good location. Unless the floors and walls are made of gold, forget it!!

Trolls, Coffee and the Military

I just have a mish mash of stuff to discuss today. A little bit of this and a little bit of that. Just stuff.

#1 I was out in my front yard the other evening, minding my own business when I happen to look up the street. (now the street we live on in the subdivision T's with another street at the top of the hill) Lo and behold a HUGE cell phone tower has been erected on the hill behind the house at the top of the street. Good grief! It is huge, and by huge I mean tall, and it takes up a lot of space, and blocks the view, and is ugly. There. I said it. It's ugly and I don't like it. Not that the "powers that be" even asked my opinion, BUT if they had I would have said, "Your cell phone tower is ugly." If it hurt their feelings so be it. I can't help it. I mean it's just there. In the middle of the field for all to see. So what if we get better service....... and by the way, how in the world did that monstrosity go up so quickly? One day nothing is there. The next BLAM! it's blocking the sky. It's like the evil cell tower trolls came in and erected it in the dark of the night before the people woke up to see what had happened in their neighborhood. Evil trolls.

P.S. My husband (my loving techno-geek) thinks it is fine. I think he actually is glad it is there. Whatever. I still think it's ugly.

#2 Scott and I have been trying to think about how to use the rest of our coffee. Let me explain. You know how sometimes you'll fix a pot of coffee in the morning, but it never gets finished? What a waste, right? Who wants cold coffee from the pot? Reheating it, well it just doesn't taste the same so we decided to make some iced coffee. It doesn't matter if it is cold. Last night I crushed ice, put it in a big cup, poured French Vanilla International Delight over the ice (the low carb kind w/Splenda) and added the coffee to fill it the rest of the way up. Then I put a lid on the cup and shook it until it was completely blended. It was very good if I do say so myself.....and all that for only 4 net carbs. A person has got to love that:)

#3 I hope everyone has a great Memorial Day and spends time remembering the men and women that have served and do serve in our military. Yesterday at church the pastor had the men and women that are serving or are veterans to stand. I always am awed when looking around the church at times like that. Then the pastor said something that is so true. Isn't it something to see a veteran's face when the National Anthem is played or one of the other songs about our country? The reverence on their face....it's because they "get it". They know and understand what the words truly mean. They understand what it is to fight for the freedoms that we have in this country. Some of them have suffered great loss, and sacrifice in order to bring us those freedoms. I for one am thankful and grateful to all our military that serve us so well. God Bless You.

Light The Way

I just listened to Steven Curtis Chapman's song Miracle of the Moment. The song talks about how we shouldn't be so busy that we miss the truly important moments of life.  His song is very poignant in the light of the fact that he and his wife just lost their 5 year old daughter this week. How terrible the tragedy is for the family....and how his song must echo through his heart--even as it breaks over the loss of his daughter.

The song was a reminder for me of how important it is to take the time to enjoy each moment, that each day brings. Some moments are fun, some are unforgettable, some are sad, some hurt, some moments make us want to conquer the world, while others make us want to hide. But all the moments make up life.

Don't forget to enjoy the moments that you are blessed to have. Don't put things off because you never know....you might not get a second chance.

Did I mention that I love icecream???

I have gone back to the low carb way of eating. It really is the best way for me to eat. It helps me keep my blood sugar on an even keel. No dips, no spikes. That is all good, I admit I feel better when I eat this way. It might not work for everybody but it does work for me.  Having said all this I want you to know that I can give up bread, (who cares?), rice (don't like it much anyway), potatoes (no big deal), I don't miss lots of the sugary sweets ( I can live without candy) BUT I love ice cream. I do believe that God will have ice cream in Heaven. It's one of those eternal pleasures. haha!

Now, on that note, my wonderful mother in law had bought me a subscription to Taste of Home. I love the magazine and drool over uh.... I mean read it from cover to cover. WHAT DO YOU THINK IS IN THE VERY BEGINNING OF THIS MONTHS ISSUE?????  You got it. It was how to make home made ice cream. I am very weak when it comes to ice cream. I try self control. I have the best of intentions, but for crying out loud---IT'S ICE CREAM!! I've read the article several times. And then I read it again. I REALLY want to try the Cookie Dough Ice Cream, um, or the banana caramel topping used on one of the sundaes.

I'm in a struggle. Do I stand firm or do I give in to the delightful, dairy temptation? Hmm...... I don't know. The jury is still out. If you see me holding a spoon with the remnants of chocolate fudge on my face, just do us both a favor and look the other way.

I Believe It's A Conspiracy

I think all my possessions have conspired against me. Trying to pack to move seems like an impossible task. The more I pack...the more there is! I don't know if there are enough boxes in the world to pack all our stuff. We might have to take down a couple more forests just to make the boxes. Good grief! And then there is the bubble wrap! I have to keep the children from trying to pop it....okay, so that is fun, but I need the wrap. Ugh! Will my breakables stay unbroken in this move? I'm scared. Too bad all our stuff isn't made of unbreakable rubber---it would be a lot less stressful to pack. I wish that Scott could give me some knock out drugs that would have me asleep for um....a good 8-9 months. Then I could wake up and everything would be unpacked in our new house and life would be simple and uncomplicated, oh yes, and nothing would be broken or lost. Oh alright, so I'd like to live in a 1950's sitcom. Of course, that would mean I'd have to clean the house in my heels and pearls....instead of my sweatpants and a T-shirt. Hmmm.......maybe life is better now.

Where is John Wayne when we need him?

It's on days like this that we could really use John Wayne.  If "The Duke" had run across the guy that shot the officer yesterday he would have taken care of business. We might have had a shoot out in the middle of our neighborhood street. Whoever drew the fastest won. (We all know John Wayne would have won that one!)

The KPD are still looking for the shooter. They have one guy in mind. (and obviously the other guys that were with him burglarizing the house) I want them to get him. Any idiot that would shoot an officer probably wouldn't give a thought to shooting anyone else. What a loser. With a capital "L".

What really makes me sad is that when I moved into this subdivision 14 years ago it was a great neighborhood in a nice part of the city. I always felt safe here. Over the past several years things have changed, unfortunately not for the better. It's really a shame.

It seems like with the two car break ins and now this terrible incident in my own neighborhood within the past month and a half that the thugs/thieves are taking over. I've never been so glad that I'll soon be moving to a rural part of the country. Yes, I know that there are bad things that happen in "the country" too. Quite frankly, I'll take my chances with the alpacas and the cows....over the animals that live on the streets.

Don't Play Hide and Seek With The Police

This afternoon an officer went to a house in my subdivision due to a burglar alarm going off. As he got there some men came around the side of the house and shot him in the chest. We heard sirens, but thought there had been an accident. We had no idea. I was gone for awhile this evening to an Arbonne party and when I got back 4 squad cars were in front of my house. One officer had an assault rifle he was carrying, another officer had his police dog with him. A police helicopter was flying overhead. The roads coming into the subdivision are blocked off. The corner market at the bottom of the hill has become a command post. I thought to myself, "Good Lord, is it the end of the world?" I rolled down my window and asked what was going on? I needed to get to my house--since the road was blocked could I get through? He told me about an officer being shot and they were looking for the suspects. When I finally got in the house, Scott told me that officers had gone through our yard and back into our woods behind the house....looking...... I can still hear the police helicopter flying back and forth even as I type this blog entry. This is totally creepy. According to the 11 o'clock news, they have 8 people in for questioning, but they can't call them suspects yet. Since I still hear the helicopter, I suspect the officers aren't satisfied that they have found the shooter. Whoever shot the officer (who is in critical condition and lost a lot of blood) is going to be tracked down....they'll find him. He can run, but he can't hide. Bad boys, Bad boys what 'cha gonna do, what 'cha gonna do when they come for you??????

Read the story from the local newspaper.

A Good "Kidnapping"

Wow, what a week I've had!  Sorry I haven't blogged in several days but I've been busy! Friday we went to my sisters house for an early birthday party for my son and me.  We had a nice dinner out at a local Mexican restaurant, where I (and my son Kendrick who has a birthday today) got to wear sombreros and be sung Happy Birthday to in Spanish.  (We looked um.....interesting.) The two of us then opened some gifts and enjoyed traditional cake and ice cream. I thought that would be the end of the celebration, but I was wrong. Unknown to me, my husband  along with our sly children, had  planned out a secret surprise for my 40th birthday.  Scott asked me if I wanted to go out for coffee, which is a favorite past time of ours....I said sure. After we got our coffee we were driving around town when I realized that we had been driving for a while.  Scott asked, "do you trust me?" I said "yes, of course". He replied, "good" and kept driving. I had absolutely no clue as to what was going on. That says a lot about me, doesn't it? I'm usually very observant, but this whole plan got totally by me. I had no idea what was up. A couple of hours later my husband and I are in Asheville, North Carolina. He had kidnapped me for a romantic getaway to the mountains. My suitcase had been packed by my son, my other son had distracted me while the suitcase had been put in the trunk, my daughter had never uttered a word about the scheme. Pretty sneaky on their part, huh?

The beautiful Biltmore Residences are nestled in the mountains of western North Carolina. Everything was wonderful from the large king size bed, to the jacuzzi tub, to the large flat screen TV's. That was all very nice, but the best part was the surprise of being there! It was very relaxing. The weather was gorgeous...... It was a great getaway and one I will always remember. My sweet (and sneaky) husband gave me an awesome 40th birthday gift. The gift of just being able to relax and enjoy without worry. I told him how much I loved and enjoyed my weekend spent with him. This will go down in my memory as one of the neatest birthdays ever.

Skeletons Are Not Sexy!

I was watching a news story this morning about a former model who has recently written a book. She was talking about how when she started modeling she weighed 130 lbs. at 5'9" (which is slender). The fashion "powers that be" told her she needed to lose weight. She got down to 102 lbs. She looked like a skeleton! The designers wanted her to look like a clothes hanger to show off their clothes. How sick is that?! I mean, honestly, do men find women that skinny, attractive? It's not even close to being realistic. Every time I see a story like that I get mad. These women in magazines are so unbelievably skinny--no one could really look like that and be healthy that is..... This particular model started losing her hair. She almost ended up in the hospital. Yet, she is supposed to be an ideal? Give me a break.

New Guestbook

To all the people that read my blog....please sign my new guest book! Those that read in the United States add which state you are from in the comments section. My readership has expanded through out most of the U.S and several foreign countries. I now truly understand why it is called the world wide web! Thanks so much for taking the time to read my blog and make a comment.

The Year Was 1968

I was at Walmart last night and saw a 40 year anniversary edition of Time magazine. It had 1968 in bold numbers across the front. Since I'm coming up on my 40th birthday I thought I'd get it to see what was "going on" the year I made my appearance.

Of course we all know that my birthday was THE happening event of that year, but that aside here are the other things that were shaking up the country.....

Vietnam was still going on and President Lyndon Johnson told the country in March of that year that he would not run for re-election..... The job of president went to Nixon after the voters cast their ballots in November of that same year.

In April Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated followed a mere 9 weeks later by the assassination of Sen. Robert Kennedy.

Pop art was hot and the black power movement was "say it loud, we're black and we're proud". U.S medal winners, Tommie Smith and John Carlos rose their fists in protest at the Olympics in Mexico.

The Beatles were THE group and Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft were heating it up in "Mrs. Robinson."

People watched The Mod Squad and Laugh In.

Lots going on in the year I was born......Hey, there were some crazy clothing choices going on too.....what were people thinking?

Getting Away With Murder

Have you all heard about this new book out by Mike Gilbert? He is finally coming clean about the whole O.J Simpson case from the early 90's. I've heard that the book tells what exactly happened, how the "cover up" was created among the inner circle, how O.J is able to hide his money/assets from the the Brown and Goldman family, and how Mr. Gilbert himself made sure that "the famed glove didn't fit."

Maybe this guys conscience has been eating away at him all these many years. Maybe he feels the need to set some things straight. Maybe he's mad at O.J and wants to get revenge, by telling the truth. I don't know......but I'm listening to Greta tonight on the Fox network. This man is supposed to be interviewed by her. My thought is this: How could anyone keep such a horrific secret for so long? If this is true and this man knew that O.J killed Nicole Brown-Simpson---then can he still be held accountable for knowledge of a murder, but not doing anything about it?  I know O.J himself can't be retried for the same crime, which if this all ends up being true, just makes me sick. He would have literally gotten away with murder.

Mother, Mom, Mama, Ma, Mum.......

However you say it...Mom means love. Now, I know that there are mom's out there that don't really deserve the title, but for most of us, and the ones to whom I am speaking, truly love their children.

My own mom sent me a card that had touching sentiment in it.... and this is what it said, "The most important job in the world doesn't offer an hourly wage or days off or paid vacations. But it does offer real feelings, shining faces, bedtime stories, small victories, priceless memories, and many moments of joy...Always remember there's no more important job in this world than the one you do every day with all your heart."

The book of Proverbs tells us that "She watches over the way of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her."

Some of us are moms because we lovingly carried our children under our hearts for 9 months and then gave birth. Some are moms because of choosing to adopt that child that they just knew "was the one". Some of us have stepped into the mom role for children who need a mom because their mother is no longer here. Some are step moms and help to take care of and love children as if they were their very own. There are foster moms who want to help. There are also women who, though not moms themselves, certainly are just like a mom with the love they show towards the children in their lives. I salute all the moms out there. Ladies, you are awesome!

A New Discovery

Those of you that know me, know that I really enjoy "small town" books. I've read and enjoyed Jan Karon's Mitford series, Phillip Gulley's Front Porch Tales, and now I've found Gail Fraser's Lumby series. I don't know about you but I'm the type of person that loves to become a part of my books. That is the great thing about books...one can go places and meet new people without ever having to leave their cozy house. I know there are people who don't love to read, I don't understand them, but I hear they exist.:) My perfect day would be to read a good book curled up in my reading chair with a hot beverage. There could be snow, sleet, rain, or even sun outside....it wouldn't matter. I've got towns to see and new people to "visit". One day I want to write a book. I love to write. Maybe one day you will read one of my books about small town life in Ohio. Who knows?

Hot Stuff at 40

Okay people, I'm turning the big 4-0 in less then 2 weeks. To some women this might put them in crisis mode ....but not me. I think being 40 will be great! I'm young enough to still be healthy and active, and old enough to be mature and insightful. Yes, it would be nice to have the bod I had at 21, but do I want to go back to that time? No way. Back then I thought I knew it all--but I didn't have a clue about what life was really about. A real understanding about the truly important things in life takes years to learn....and even now I'm still working on those lessons. I bet I'll continue to work on life's lessons for many, many years to come.

Being the giving person that I am (don't laugh!) I am going to share my top 10 ways to stay young and beautiful....even after turning 40. This has not been scientifically researched (but who really cares?) so I will not be held accountable for side effects or um......accidents if you try these top 10 things. Don't say I didn't warn you:) Side note: These little nuggets of wisdom are in no specific order. (Just thought I'd add that for those of you that are very particular about those types of things.)

DAWN'S TOP 10 SECRETS FOR STAYING YOUNG AND BEAUTIFUL

1. Have selective hearing. Pretend you don't hear your kids yelling, any loud thumps, or other chaos going on at the other end of the house. If you don't "hear" it, then you won't worry about it. Worry causes wrinkles. We don't want wrinkles.

2. Practice bladder control. Try and run all your errands around town while drinking your 32 oz. of water in your ever present water bottle. Toughen up that bladder. Hold it until you are ready to pop. This exercise for the bladder will keep you out of Depends for several more years.

3. Don't wear embarrassing clothes. Older women should not be wearing tube tops or mini skirts. It's just not pretty. I don't care how gorgeous you feel, this combo is not good. By the time you are 40 some of your stuff has shifted around and trust me on this, it doesn't look as good as when you wore it at 21. Enough said.

4. Soak in the tub at least once a week. Don't tell me you don't have time. Make time. This is very relaxing. If any member of your family knocks on the bathroom door go back and review rule #1. Stay in the tub as long as possible...but not so long that you turn into a prune. Shriveled up skin is not attractive...and as you get older it might not "spring back" as quickly as it used to.

5. Exercise regularly. Not only will you feel better and your body will be healthier, but this will help to keep everything in it's place and will reverse any sagging. You can have a little extra "junk in your trunk" but would you rather have the trunk of a Porshe or a 1978 station wagon? Hey, it's up to you.

6. Have at least one good friend in your life. This is "your girl". She hangs with you no matter what. She doesn't care if you've gained an extra 10 pounds (even if you are doing #5) or if your latest haircut is a serious mistake.  She loves you anyway. The longer you have this girlfriend the better. Every woman needs someone to commiserate with. Even if you have a wonderful, loving husband you still need a good girlfriend...there are sometimes when men just don't get us females.

7. Fork out the extra money for some awesome skincare. This is necessary. We need all the elastin and collagen that we can get. Firm and plump that skin. Good skin care will give you a naturally healthy glow, smooth soft skin and reduced wrinkles. Don't go get cosmetic surgery. Just don't do it.....you don't want to turn out like some of the Hollywood stars that now look like they could be the displays in a wax museum.

8. Love your family and tell them daily how much they mean to you. When you are gone they will remember the sweet memories, you will become almost saint-like in their eyes......they will completely forget how they thought their mother was the weirdest mother on earth and how she embarrassed them beyond all recognition.

9. Love your husband after all he has to put up with you. Yes, you might have to pick up his underwear off the floor for the 50 billionth time, but he has to deal with your moods and crankiness during PMS week. Having someone to love helps make the years enjoyable, and if you are blessed to have a wonderful husband, then he will always love you...and in his minds eye you will always look like the beautiful woman he married. (even if you really don't....love is blind so go with it.)

10. Finally, staying young is a state of mind. So really work on your mind. Keep it active and sharp. Learn new things, keep up on current affairs, do puzzles. Hey, it's important to have your wits about you....

I hope you will find these tidbits of knowledge that I've gleaned over the years to be useful....and if not, I can live with that, but don't say I didn't try to be helpful. In my humble opinion I will be a force to be reckoned with in my 40's. I'm looking forward to this decade. Good bye 30's...Hello 40's! There's a new girl in town!!

Insanity is a state of mind

Packing to move can cause insanity. That is all I've got to say. How am I going to get everything packed in our house in TN. to move to our house in Ohio? I will be certifiable before this is all over with. My question is how in the world did we accumulate so much junk? It's amazing. I wish I could just just blink my eyes and it would magically pack itself. What can we get rid of? Yard sale? Good will donations? Only save the good stuff. How many pairs of shoes does any one woman need? (Okay, so I like my shoes....but I only have 2 feet so I guess I don't need quite so many!) I refuse to part with any of my beloved books....but do you have any idea how HEAVY boxes of books are? My biceps will have quite a workout as I pack books....either that or I will get a massive hernia. I keep telling myself, " Dawn, you can do this!" Whatever doesn't kill us makes us stronger. I'll let you know how it turns out:)

Dare To Dream

I am reading this wonderful book called Dare to Dream and Work To Win by Dr. Tom Barrett. As an avid reader and discerner of worthy books, let me tell you this book ranks in the top 10. Yes, that is my opinion, but from someone who has read a massive amount of books in her lifetime, trust me this is a good one!

__________In chapter 6 he tells this story of a woman who went into an antiques store and was just looking around on the "junk" table. She found a vase that obviously had been setting there for a while as it was covered with dust. She wiped some of the dust off and thought it might have some potential at beauty. She took it home, after buying it for $3. She cleaned it up and started to see the exquisite color and design. She took it to a fine arts appraiser who told her the vase had belonged to a Russian czar and it was valued at $50,000.

The author, Dr. Barrett, goes on to say that this kind of thing happens everyday. Objects of extraordinary beauty and worth are overlooked and undervalued. But this oversight is not limited to the realm of vases. It happens all to often in the world of vessels...human vessels. One of the silent tragedies in daily life is the number of people who dismiss themselves from being players in the game of life. Everyone faces a final area of doubt. It is our belief in ourselves. _________________

Wow. That passage made me think. How many times do we give up because we don't think we can do something? We can be our own worst enemies, and our own worst critics. You know what? Life is short. It really is. Why not go out and face the giants, head on? What have you really got to lose? You can do it. You can make a difference. Keep your chin up. I'm cheering you on!!!

Earthquakes, Tornadoes, and Storms...Oh My!

Does anyone else find it concerning about the severe weather over the past few weeks? Earthquakes centered in Illinois, Nevada, and California. Tornadoes over the past several days and weeks...even where there aren't usually twisters, like in Virginia. Today the weather will be bad in the midwest. I realize that it is tornado season, but there seem to be a lot for so early and not in usual places. (take downtown Atlanta for instance) All these earthquakes make me wonder if we are not headed for a "big one". Kind of scary. I feel like we are waiting for "the other shoe to fall."

Any Hockey Fans Out There?

Last night I watched the Dallas Stars play San Jose. (Scott and I were hoping for the Stars 4th win in this series, but alas they lost 2-1 this time.)  I have to say I was not a hockey fan before I met my husband, Scott. He is a big Stars fan. When we got married he took me (and the kiddos) to several Ice Bears games here in Knoxville. Even though the Ice Bears are a regional team and not national, it was still exciting. I was into it right from the beginning. I was one of the ones that kept popping up out of her seat to get a better view. As awful as this sounds, it was pretty exciting watching the players slam into the boards too. (No, I'm not really sadistic, but I must admit there is something about watching a good hockey fight!) I like hockey because it is so fast paced. Things keep moving and I like that. There is a lot of energy at hockey games. When we move to Ohio we will be about an hour away from Columbus. That isn't so far...we can go watch the Blue Jackets play. It's pretty hilarious that I'd be into hockey--considering I can't even ice skate myself. No really. Not at all. I've attempted it a few times and landed on my backside more times then I care to admit. It was humiliating. It was embarrassing. It was cold. I'll just stay put in the stands and watch the guys on the ice. They know what they are doing....and they sure make for an exciting game.