Need Suggestions

I'm about to have to embark on something I've never done before. I have to figure out how to decorate a child's bike for a Mardi Gras parade. I'm from Mississippi, for crying out loud! We don't "do" Mardi Gras there! Alyssa is going to be in a parade with her school and her bike has to be decorated. I want to do a good job, but I just don't know where to start. I'd like to do something cuter than just throwing some beads on it and calling it "decorated"! I just don't know.

I also have to go help her pick out a box of Valentines for her class. That should be fun. I haven't had to do that since I was a kid. I'm a little bit excited!

R.I.P.

I am still shocked. I am still deeply shocked and saddened about yesterday's news of Heath Ledger's death. I fell "in love" with this curly haired Aussie when I saw A Knight's Tale in the theater in 2001. From that time, I watched him change his image both on and off screen. I got to feel jealousy when I learned of his relationship with Michelle Williams (didn't he realize that he was supposed to wait for ME???), I got to laugh when I learned that he was going to play a gay cowboy in Brokeback Mountain. I got to be excited when he was nominated for an Oscar for that role and I got to be irate when he was "robbed". And, yesterday, I got to be devastated when I heard that he is no longer with us. I'm not going to pretend to have known him personally. We never met. But, I do get to feel the grief, mainly for his 2 year old daughter, as I HAVE been in a similar position to where she is today, half-orphaned at a young age. Regardless of the rhyme and reason behind it, this was most definitely a life needlessly lost too early.

Rest In Peace, Heath Ledger (1979-2008)

ARGH!

Why are kids so trying? I love my 5 year old with every fiber of my existence, but geez! I sometimes think she is seriously trying to kill me! She can't understand the concept of "don't break all your crayons in half", no matter how many boxes of crayons we go through. And, if I hear "can I have....?" one more time, followed by "PLEASE???" after I've already said "no", I'm going to go ballistic! I know, I know...she's just a kid. I understand that. But, I just don't recall being THIS obnoxious when I was a kid. I had my moments, yes...but, in my house, "no" meant "no". It didn't mean "continue begging until I give in" and it didn't mean "I might have said no, but please go ask your other parent, in case they think differently". It means "NO"! I'm learning a lot about parenting, but there are some things I still need help with. So, if anyone has any pointers on how to make a child clean her room or how to make her stop pouting when every little thing doesn't go her way, I'd be more than happy to hear them!!

Baby Fever

Yes, I have it. My only "baby" is five years old and I'm emotionally ready for number 2. Physically, though, I'm a mess! I want a baby so badly, but there's no way my body could handle it. I have a friend who is having her second daughter in a matter of weeks (about three, actually) and I'm a little envious. Part of me isn't, because, I know that while she's up and down all night long, I'll be sleeping soundly with my 5 year old. On the other hand, I went to see her nursery today and I really wish I could buy little bitty things and prepare for another love in my life. I suppose I'll maintain what I've always said, which is, there's a Power that's bigger than me, and if God intends that I should ever have another baby, then I will, regardless of what I try to do to prevent it (Alyssa is proof of that). However, if I'm not, then I won't and I'll just enjoy the daughter He's already blessed me with. Hard pill to swallow, but that's what I have to do.

Plans For A Sunday

I usually love Sundays, not for any particular reason, but just because it's another day when I don't have to get up and take Alyssa to school. I need to be going to church on Sunday mornings, and I know this, but I just SO love to sleep. I realize that that's not going to be a good excuse in Heaven, but that's a topic for another blog and I don't want to get into it right now. My point is, I have as little as possible planned for today. We've had company all weekend and now, if we can EVER get rid of all of them (one down, one to go), my life will go back to normal and I can't wait!! I'm going to work on some of my stitching and then, at 6:00, I'm going to go to a church in town and hear Testify sing. I have a good friend who sings with them and I love going to their concerts when they're in town. I'm hoping that Greg will go, but I'm not holding my breath.

Folks Don't Get It

I will never truly understand why people are oblivious. Like, do they not stop to pay even a LITTLE bit of attention to the world (and the attitudes) around them. For instance, if you come to my house, after inviting yourself over here, plan to STAY and I don't speak to you, although we're in the same room, then a logical person would deduce that to mean that I didn't really want you here. DUH!! Some people are a little bit slow, though. And, then, when the person has received every hint that their presence isn't appreciated and still hang around, why must they try to make idle chit-chat with you when it's more than obvious that you're trying to watch TV?? It makes no sense and that's kinda why I'm not a people person!

How Pitiful!

We're watching Celebrity Rehab on VH-1, with "celebs" such as Brigitte Nilson (or however you spell that), Jessica Sierra (from American Idol) and some others, but the saddest case is Jeff Conaway. He used to be so cute in Grease and Taxi, but he is just horrible and sad now. He has to use a cane or a wheelchair to get around and is totally incoherent. You can't understand what he's saying half the time. It just really makes me sad to see. He was such a talented actor and he wasted it all on substance abuse. I'm not even sure what substance he used, but whatever it was, it ruined him. I could just cry because I like him as an actor and he is going to die!

Rainy Day

I'm not really a fan of rain. I don't mind it so much when I have nothing to do and don't have to get out in it, but I actually have things I have to do today, so the fact that it's raining is a little irritating to me. I have to go to the bank and get a few groceries. I also need to go to the mall and return something, but I don't know if that'll happen or not. That can, technically, wait. Oh well, at least it didn't happen yesterday. Everything on my "to do" list yesterday involved Alyssa and it's ten times harder to get her in and out of the rain! I suppose I can be thankful for that!

Geaux Tigers!

We had a party over here last night to watch LSU play in the BCS Championship game. Several of Greg's friends and such came over. It was amusing, I suppose. I could have made do with less children. Of course, the little girls stayed in Alyssa's bedroom and were fine. They were actually cute and endearing and had a great time. I just LOVE little girls! Alyssa had a great time playing, too, which is good, because she doesn't get a lot of interaction. Other than school, she rarely gets to associate with any kids. I feel sorry for her, really. She desperately needs some good, well behaved kids in her life. Hopefully, we can get to Mississippi soon and she can play with some of my friends' and Greg's friends' kids.

At any rate, the point is, LSU pulled it out! I'm not really a fan, but I LOVE Les Miles and I was excited to see him win the championship. It was a good game.

A Not-So-Happy Anniversary

Today is January 5th. It was today, 18 years ago, that my family, as well as the world, lost the most fabulous daughter, sister, wife, and mother ever. My mother passed away 18 years ago today, in 1990, after a short battle with cancer. I was only 10 years old at the time and my sister was just 6. I don't have a lot of memories of my mom, which is the saddest part about the day, but I do remember that she was a devoted mom. Nothing and nobody came above my sister and me in her eyes. We had homemade birthday cakes with interesting party themes. She was a room mother for my class at school every year, going above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that my elementary years were as memorable as possible. Unfortunately, as far as memories are concerned, the happiness she caused was overshadowed by the painful memory of her loss. I guess that's how it works. All I know is, I pray every day and strive to be half the mother to my little girl that she was to me!