Ready to Roll.......

With Feb ALMOST over and March almost here I have that "hankerin'" again.. The hankerin' to pack up and take off for a week of work free bliss.. Yes, I've got Spring fever/Cabin fever whatever you want to call it. Knowing that in about a month I will be on my way to beautiful, fun, and wonderful TN.

Even though our yearly trip is a month away, I'm already planning what I'm taking/wearing. If I could I'd be packing my clothes already. However, I need SOMETHING to wear this month....

There's just something about taking my luggage over to be packed up that Friday afternoon before work, hitting the shower after coming straight home from work, MAYBE catch a couple hours of sleep,(sometimes we leave as soon as I've taken my shower) and hit the road that puts a thrill of excitement into you. Okay, so the excitement is usually AFTER my dad checks the brakes/turn signals, and lights on the pop up camper. (Think of Zippy here, that's dad. LOL)

We drive clear through, except to stop someplace for breakfast anywhere between 4:30 and 6 AM, or to stop to let my dad have a short nap..
Then we get to TN and watch my parents set up the camper while my brother and I are setting up our tents... YES, I sleep in a TENT. My tent is usually up BEFORE the camper. Oh, at some point in there, my dad usually yells and tells Austin or I to call Ashley and let her know we're there.

The best part of the trip is Ashley.... Spending time with my sister is the best part of vacation... We normally go pick her up every night.... ALMOST every night (If she doesn't have a big test or other plans), and do things with her... Whether it's seeing one of the MANY shows, going through the mountains, (That in itself is an adventure. Will talk about that later)or spend the night with her and go to classes with her the next day.. Yes, Ashley is the highlight of the trip... I LOVE spending time with that girl. She's a really fun girl to hang out with... Then again, I'm sure I don't have to tell you that. LOL.

Now, back to the mountains......
Going through the mountains with my dad driving is well..... Worse than a roller coaster. At least in a roller coaster you pretty much know you'll be ALIVE when it's over....
I think my dad thinks it's illegal to use brakes coming down the mountain. He puts it in second gear and coasts all the way down. He only brakes if the car in front brakes, and then he gets mad that they're using their brakes. He then pulls off, waits until he thinks the car(s) are WAY ahead, and starts out again WITHOUT brakes. He told me last time that he made the trip in X amount of time, and wants to beat that time. I tell him, I would rather LIVE. Scares me to death at times. Oh, and I HAVE to sit up front when we're in the mountains..I get carsick in the back, and carsickness isn't very fun..I know it's weird. I get carsick in the back, but not the front. So, my mom gives up her seat so I can sit up front.. Got to love moms.. :)

Fear or guilt?

Last night my mom told me that she was completely freaked out. I laughed and asked her why... This is the story she told me.......

After grandma died, she and Aunt Carol cleaned out grandma's cabinets. Okay, two days ago, she went in to make a peanut butter sandwich.. The peanut butter was the jar grandma had, and it only had MAYBE a tablespoon left. She looked on the lid.... 211...
All the what ifs keep running through her head... WHAT IF.....What if it wasn't the flu? What if we'd known sooner? What if it really was the peanut butter? Then I mentioned...WHAT IF this had NOTHING to do with it?
It's like I told mom, we can't go back in time. Besides... Do you have ANY idea how angry grandma would be if we could bring her back? She'd be saying "Why did you do that?" I could just see her saying "Let me be. I'm having fun."

BOOK review!

I just finished "Waiting For Summer's Return" by Kim Vogel Sawyer.

If you like Janette Oke's "Love Comes Softly", and Beverly Lewis's Amish books.... You'll LOVE this book...
It's about a woman, Summer, who's husband and 4 children die on the wagon train. An Mennonite man, Peter, needs someone to tutor his young son while he's healing from an accident.... (Sound familiar?) ;)
The first part of this book reminds me so much of "Love Comes Softly", but of course it's completely different.
I started it Monday, and had it finished this morning. I couldn't put it down. It's a fun read!!!!!

Lent starts TODAY!!!!!

This year I had a hard time deciding what to give up this year. I thought about dvds and books, but I've done the dvds the past 2 years, and books?

Well... I had a HORRIBLE time with that last year. I had forgotten before hand that we'd be going to TN during Spring Break.... There's an AMAZING Christian book store there, (Christian Book Warehouse) and I really had to fight the temptation to buy books. I mean when you see good Christian books CHEAPER than around here, it's hard to NOT buy them. Also, it's hard when your sister gets a 10% discount there since she's a student. Not only that, but Ashley informed us recently that there's ANOTHER Christian bookstore around there where NOTHING is over $5.00...
So, I knew that books would be too difficult......
Then Captain Lois suggested I give up Carmel Apple Ciders and Steak N Shake Barfaits (Parfaits)..... Those are my comfort foods..It's like I told her. You might as well tell me to give up breathing..Giving up BREATHING would be a lot easier than giving up Starbucks and Steak N Shake.

So, I decided... I'm giving up Caffeninated sodas... NO Mt. Dews or Cokes ULESS they are Caffeine Free... (I normally drink 4-6 20 ounze bottles A DAY) So, I'm giving that up, but I can still have my coffee (Which I don't drink often.. Only when I'm pulling a 12 hour shift. Like I will tonight and Friday night.)

That does make me wonder.... Is it right to compromise sacrifices? Oh, well..

One of those days.....

It seems to me that so far this year, I've had far more bad days than good ones. Yesterday was no different.
It wasn't anything I can put my finger on, but I was just really depressed. So, after work I went to Starbucks.... Now the people there KNOW me, and they have my drink made before ringing me up.
I went in there last night, and one of the guys said "You're going to hate me, but we no longer serve Carmel Apple Ciders (CACs for short... Captain came up with that.)
With my day the way it went, this was the straw that broke the camel's back. I literally started crying. YES, me, ANGELA, was crying in Starbucks. The girl working there said "He's lying. Joe, apologize to her." I told her that the way my day went, it would've been the pefect ending to a horrible day. Anyway, she made my CAC and gave it to me "on the house".
CACs are the perfect "comfort" drink. However, the thought of the calories can cause you to fall deeper into depression..... ~sigh~

I know, this is late.... I'm sorry

I meant to put this up yesterday, but time just slipped away from me. So........ HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY AUNT CAROL!!!!
Hope it was great!!!!

ATTENTION ALL PARENTS!!!!!!!!

I don't know how many people are planning on taking their kids to see the new Disney movie "Bridge to Terabithia." If you are planning to let your little ones see it, I have a STRONG suggestion.....
PLEASE read the book first, or if you don't have time.... Feel free to ask me. I read the book when I was 12, and even though it's a "children's book" some kids probably would have a difficult time with it. I didn't have a hard time, but I was older, and had already faced the "questionable subject" firsthand.
Which brings me to another warning... The book does have a couple bad words in it.
The commericals/previews look harmless and innocent, but at the end it could leave parents with upset children, and a NEED to "have a talk".
When I first saw the previews I thought.... It looks nothing like the book. However, later I read the reviews and it's more like the book than I originally thought.
So, parents... PLEASE educate yourself on this movie/book before deciding.
My community service project is now complete. LOL....

I'm walking on sunshine!!!!!

If you've been reading my posts this week, you'll know what a horrible week it's been..... Today things got better....
Last night at work I was telling some guys I work with about my wipers (here's a hint.... If you have vehicle problems ASK guys at work. You can pretty much be told what's wrong with your vehicle just by describing the problem. Most of them "know someone" that can do things a lot cheaper than big named businesses.) So, back to the wipers.... The wipers were dead. Turn it on, and NOTHING would happen... Some guys said it sounded like I blew a fuse, and a couple others said that I might have blown the motor...
Lois told me to try the fuse first. As she said.... "A fuse is a LOT cheaper than a motor."
This morning I got up and went to get my mail... I noticed I had a package, but I was on my way to K to get a fuse, so I didn't have time to find out what the package was...
I go to Sears (If they didn't have it, NO ONE would.) Bought 5 fuses for a dollar and some change, put it in, and sure enough..... Waaa laaa instant wipers.... Good thing too since it was snowing pretty good as I was driving home.
I get home and decide to open my package.. The dvd set I was waiting on had arrived... So, I go over to my parent's house, so excited I started jumping up and down and twirling in circles (literally) while singing that song.... "Walking on Sunshine".
So, even though it was gloomy and snowy, I never noticed it... Still..."I'm walking on sunshine, whoa, I'm walking on sunshine, whoa, I'm walking on sunshine, whoa. And don't it feel good? "

When it rains it pours!!!

I went and got a new tire for my jeep today. I had a 10 AM appointment and was told it would take 40 to 45 mins to do. Well... That 40 -45 mins turned into an HOUR and 16 mins. So, I now have a brand new tire, and the fear of a flat is now gone... However, now I have a new fear.....

On my way to get my tire, I realized that my windshield wipers do not work AT ALL!!! By the time I got to the shop, my windshield was so filthy I could BARELY see out... So, I went through the car wash....

So, I'm now in the process of finding someone who can fix that FAST. Oh, and they're predicting an inch or so of snow for TONIGHT!!! I could be driving home in snow without wipers.

BUT HEY, at least I have a shiny clean Jeep....

SHE'S HOW OLD???????

It's hard to believe that 21 years ago she was born. I remember it so vividly. Aaron and I were staying with grandma and grandpa T. I was asleep in Aunt Marlina's room, while Aaron was asleep on the pull out sofa.
Aaron came running in and jumped up on the bed yelling "Wake up, we have a new brother". I jumped out of bed, and that's when the disappointment of having another brother hit me. I wanted a sister so bad that I had been, for the whole time after mom told us that we she was expecting, actually PRAYING for one.
I went into the kitchen where Grandma was eating something. She looked up and said "Did Aaron tell you about your new sister?" I looked over at Aaron, and he had that smirky smile that only he can do, on his face. (Yes, you can picture it, can't you?)
It's amazing how fast disappointment can disappear. To say I was thrilled was an understatement....
Yes, we've had our differences, but I feel closer to my sister now than I ever did before. Maybe it's due to the both of us growing up... Anyway...
Ashley, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!! I LOVE YOU! And if I haven't said it before or lately..... I am VERY proud of you. You have grown into a wonderful woman that I'm PROUD to call a sister!!!!! Have a wonderful 21th birthday, just don't do anything too wild...LOL.

Have to gripe...

This has to be one of the worst weeks I've had in a while.....

First I waited in vain Monday night at Walmart for a dvd set that NEVER arrived. Tues I was snowed in and work was canceled. Wens.. My Jeep was STUCK and couldn't get it out,which means I won't get PAID for those two days... Oh and today?
I was going to T to get some shipping tape so I can send a package to my sister.... I only got 4 miles from home when it happened... My tire blew.... It's shredded. Looks like a roadside bomb got to it.... So, had to call a service station because I needed an adapter for my lug nut, which I didn't have. Anyway.... Service guy changed my tire and only charged $20... If it was just someone passing by, I would've offered AT LEAST $50..After all it was COLD and there's snow on the ground. But helping "damsels in distress" is the service guy's job, and it's a business, so if he's charging only $20 who am I to offer more?

They put my spare on, which isn't in the greatest shape, so PLEASE pray that it will get me back and forth to work today, and to work tomorrow.

I'm going to ask and see if my dad will get my jeep and take it in the shop tomorrow. (I park only a block away from where he parks, and the tire place is across the street. He gets off work at 3 and I'm already at work by 3, so it's not out of his way any to do me this favor.) Anyway, I have to buy a new tire, and have it aligned..All that AFTER I just paid for a new snowblower AND paid SHOVELMAN so I can go to work today.... Makes me sick to think I'll only get a three day check next week...
AUUUUUGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! (Imagine me tearing my hair out)

Thanks for taking the time to read this..... Oh, and Ashley, No, I still haven't mailed your package to you.. I am SOOOOOO Sorry, this week has been HORRIBLE!!! I know you're waiting so patiently for your Valentine/care/Birthday package. I really feel horrible that you won't get it by your Birthday.... But you WILL get it and SOON!!! I promise!!!

Here he comes to save the day.... SHOVELMAN!!!

I got up this morning and was going to get my mail. The snow was so high my Jeep got STUCK. Wouldn't go forward, wouldn't go backward. The night before I made a HORRIBLE mistake. I parked behind my house.... Now those that know my house, I have a long driveway that wraps around my house. My driveway was COMPLETELY blocked... There was NO WAY I could get through it.....
So, I half hopped and wadded through waist high snow drifts to my parents house to borrow a shovel.... Yeah.... I worked for an hour and only got MAYBE 4 feet cleared... My driveway is a good 50+ feet long. Well, I noticed that my neighbor (other side of my parents) had a snowblower. I went over there and asked "How much would you charge to clear my driveway?" I had to go to work in about 3 hours, and it wasn't cancelled. His silence told me "I'm not going to do it." I was offering him $100 to free my jeep.
So, I was thinking "I HAVE to get my Jeep out." So, my dad called a lot of stores to find a snowblower. Sears was the only place in town that still had a couple. So, we told them to hold one. We went up there, and I bought one. Yes, I am now the proud owner of a snowblower. :)
We get it home, and my dad spent AT LEAST 3 hours trying to figure the thing out... As he was doing that, SHOVELMAN arrived....Snow don't stand a chance with Shovelman.....He can melt snow with his laser eyes...Snow drifts fear him, and sidewalks cheer for him...
Okay, Okay, OKAY... so MAYBE it was only a mild mannered teenager offering to SHOVEL my driveway himself for a fee. I asked him how much he wanted... $70.... Seemed fair to me, so I agreed. He would come in every once in a while to warm up, but he was mostly worried about not finishing by nightfall... Once he realized that school was cancelled AGAIN for tomorrow, he breathed a little easier saying "If I don't finish tonight, I'll have it done before you go to work tomorrow."
He worked VERY HARD clearing my driveway.... Oh, and the $100 I offered the neighbor? Well, my neighbor did get it..... After all, Heros do deserve to be paid a little extra for their hard, cold work once in a while....Thank you Austin, oops, I mean SHOVELMAN!!!

This just seems really odd!!!

I went to a local radio station's website to check on cancellations/closings.... I ran across something that just seemed wrong somehow.
Two funeral homes have postponed viewings/funerals. I can understand the situation, but those poor family members. It's bad enough that they lost someone, but to have to delay the viewing/funeral just seems wrong somehow.

SNOW DAY!!!!!!

I knew we were supposed to get some snow, so I asked for a paid day for today.(mainly because I was HOPING to spend it watching a dvd set I was planning on buying after work. Which Walmart DIDN'T have. GRRR)
I guess others had the same idea, because my boss,Stacy, told me that the book was full.. (They can only let 3 people off at a time). Then she said... "Here's my cell number, if you can't make it in call me." Yeah, she THOUGHT I wanted off for the weather... If she only knew.... LOL... Anyway......

When I left Walmart (about 12:10) it was just starting to snow.
I KNEW it HAD to be bad when my coworker, (Captain), texted me, at 10 this morning and said "NO WORK today, they cancelled 2nd and 3rd shift"...... I work in a factory, and they NEVER close. I've worked there for 12 1/2 years and they've NEVER closed due to snow.


Right now, the snow is drifting BAD and the roads are CLOSED. The snow is now up to my bumper. There is a snow emergency, which means driving is prohibited. The town I live in is a little town surrounded by corn and soybean fields, so the roads drift even worse since it's open land.
The roads out of town are completely blocked.(By the way, I live about 10 miles from the nearest grocery store.. Hope I don't have to stoop to fighting the cat for her food. LOL.).. I went a few blocks to the little gas station, and I BARELY got there, and I have a 4 wheel drive Jeep Wrangler. I went next door (to my parent's house) to let my parents know that work was cancelled, and the snow came up almost to my knees.. I'm only 5 foot 2? 3?. (It's WORSE than that now. I would guess it's up to my upper thighs if not my waist now.)
The wind is blowing at 30 miles per hour with 6 to 8 more inches of snow expected tonight. It hasn't stopped snowing since midnight (Monday night? Tues. morning?)...

The government snowplows haven't been out all day. They won't plow when it's drifting. As I am typing this, I'm looking out my window and I see a FARM tractor and a Big 4 wheel drive pickup truck with snow plows trying their hardest to keep the town streets clear. Farmers with their big tractors and people who own HUGE 4 wheel drive trucks, who live in town, are working in shifts trying to plow the streets themselves.
The local radio stations are asking that if anyone has 4 wheel drives or snowmobiles and wants to help get people to shelter or take people to hospitals to call the police dept. Ambulances can't get through this....
Okay all you SUV bashers, what do you think of SUVs now??? Not so bad are they? Whaa haa haa...
So, I get a snow day, and I don't even have the dvd set to keep me occupied. BOOOO....But at least we haven't lost electricity.. So, I guess that's a good thing...

The way it looks, might have another snow day tomorrow.(keeping my fingers crossed). Whoo hooo... I feel like I'm in school again, hoping for snow days. LOL...

Bad with remembering dates...

I know for a fact that two of my cousins have birthdays the day after each other. Here's the embarrassing part.... I can't remember who's is on what day..I know one's on the 10th and the other on the 11th.... So I'll just do it this way................ HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARRIE AND HEATH!!!!!! I hope your day was/is great!!!

Walk A Mile and lessons learned....

This morning my alarm went off at 7:45, which to me was WAAY too early. After putting on layerS of clothes, and bundling up (hat, gloves, and scarves) my mom and I went on a mile walk for the Rescue Mission. Before I left I wanted to know what the temp. was.... So, I called time and temp, and it was ZERO degrees. Thankfully there wasn't a wind. We get to the Rescue Mission, and it was CHAOS. We decided to wait until after the walk to pick up our long sleeved t-shirts... The choice this year was a shirt (Black with hot pink Walk A Mile In Our Shoes on the back. COOL!!) or gloves. I REALLY wanted a shirt. Anyway, my mom and I shivered our way to Open Arms, where they had hot chocolate, coffee, and McDonald's cinnamon rolls waiting for us. After warming up, and showing my mom Aunt Rebecca's preschool class, we headed back to the Mission. Now when we got back the first thing I noticed was the shirts were GONE!!! To say I was bummed is an understatement. So after halfheartedly accepting the gloves and managing (forcing is more like it) a thank you, we left. When I got home, my "Big girl" had a very stern talk with my "little girl". The "talk" went something like this.......(Imagine a parent talking to a child).... "This ISN'T about YOU. You did this for the HOMELESS, not YOU!! How could you be so ungrateful for a pair of gloves? There are homeless people that search dumpsters hoping to find a glove for each hand, and they don't care if they even match or smell. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? They didn't have to give you ANYTHING. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, and be grateful they gave you anything. Sheesh.... After my talk, I actually felt better about the gloves..... Oh, and Ashley, this summer when you're home and you go to Goodwill, could you look for the shirt? LOL

Girls day out part 3

Ok, I need to clarify something.... Since my mom doesn't get online, I told her to be thinking about ideas where she'd like to go for our 2nd annual GDO. Her idea??? HAWAII!!!!!
Regardless how tempting that sounds (espcially with this cold snap) we do need to limit this trip to somewhere we can go and get back within a day. HENCE the words DAY out. (Just mentioned that in case someone came up with the same idea. LOL)
Ashley comes home sometime around May 10th, and my parents are talking about taking a vacation in June or July to Canada. (I've never been anywhere where I needed a passport... COOL!!!!!) So late May? Early June? Sometime in July? Early EARLYAugust?

COLTS WIN THE SUPERBOWL!!!!!

I will be the first to admit that I HATE sports.... Football, basketball, soccer.... Makes no difference. I think it's stupid that grown men are paid more money than teachers, law enforcement, and EMTs(People with REAL jobs) just to run up and down a field. STUPID STUPID STUPID.
However..... Since everyone at work is so "excited" about this game (one of our bosses is an ex-Colts player) I KNOW the game will be the topic of most conversations today. I also know that there's going to be a lot of people in good moods, especially a certain boss. (It's always good when the boss is in a good mood). Anyway, since I know that 99.99% of the conversations today will be about last night's game, I caught the last 5 mins. I HAD to know who won, so I can throw in a few words at least.
This hasn't changed my outlook on sports, and I still think players are WAY overpaid. Football is pretty stupid.... After all, grown men fighting over a quarter. Sheesh..... Just give the team their quarter back so they can go home for crying out loud. (After all, isn't what the team is supposed to do? Get the quarterback?)

Girl's day out part 2.....

Since there is an interest in having another day out, I took the liberty of looking to see when we went last year, and found out that we went May 8th.
That week would be IMPOSSIBLE this year. It's the first full week of May, and that's when they pay our vacation checks for the next year, and our unused Paid days. I still have all 5 of my paid days from last May. (note to self.... USE THEM UP!!!!!!!!)
Anyway, since that's when they pay our unused paid days, the company puts a hold on all paid days that week.
So..... WHEN Do we want to go? a week or so later, a week earlier, or later? Also, would a weekday or Sat be better? Places like Nashville are not as crowded during the week. Also, WHERE do we want to go? Back to Nashville, or would you rather explore somewhere we've never been? Do you have the "hankerin" to go northward, southward, eastward, or westward? Have there ever been a place you've always wanted to go, but always thought, I'll go there someday? (For example..a spontanious trip to a Holocaust musuem.) Here's your chance. Speak up, we're listening.

Reader's challenge

I was just thinking the other day.... How many people read this blog? I know of at least 3.
Here's a challenge for all of my faithful readers. Now's your chance to boost my self esteem some and step out of your little corner and introduce yourselves or if you're "shy" just say HI.
To "break the ice" I'll go first...... I would introduce myself, but if you've been reading my blog for a while, you already know me, so all I'm going to say is.....HI and thank you for reading my blog!!!!!!

2nd Annual girls day out?

Okay Carrie, Carol, Beth, Ashley, and any other FEMALE family member that might be reading this... I think it's time to think about a second annual girl's (women's) day out.
I had so much fun last year, that we HAVE to plan something this year. Okay, so throw out ideas and dates, and let's get this planned.... Whoo hoo!!!!!!!!

Walk A Mile In My Shoes and a "selfish" prayer request

On Feb.10 I will be walking in the WAMIMS again this year. Last year my sister had an unplanned trip home, and with the promise of a Starbucks afterwards walked with me. Well, this year she won't be home, but I managed to talk my mom into walking with me. I went to the Rescue Mission and picked up some forms. They want each walker to raise AT LEAST $50. Well, I knew it would be a lot harder for my (stay at home) mom to raise the money, so I donated it to her. I only did it, because I just wanted to make sure she wouldn't back out of it. Yeah, sneaky aren't I? LOL.

Here's my "selfish" prayer request. I've been hearing that next week we're going to be in the single digits weatherwise. Please pray that it warms up some for the walk. This walk goes on rain or shine (or snow and negative degree weather.) They don't cancel this walk for ANYTHING. It's not me I'm concerned about, it's my mom. With her blood thinners, she gets colder faster than the rest of us. It's for her sake I want the weather to warm up.

See? I told you it's a selfish prayer request.