THE TURTLE INK PAD

Tatems sleep study

2012-01-30T21:57:00.001-05:00

My baby

Sunday ..hummmm

2012-01-29T18:37:00.001-05:00

Photo Friday

2012-01-28T06:50:00.002-05:00

these are the pictures for Photo Friday!

Wacky Wednesday!

2012-01-25T06:34:00.000-05:00

So wacky.... there is a person who works in our office who is 'special'.... no common sense... not the brightest crayon in the box, or the sharpest pencil either. It makes me nuts.

These kids who think we owe them a life.... here you go.... which this person, who is an adult ..thinks the same way,,,,

Rules to live by.... well at least years ago we did!

Rule 1 : Life is not fair - get used to it!

Rule 2 : The world doesn't care about your self-esteem.

The world will expect you to accomplish something

BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3 : You will NOT make $60...,000 a year right out of high school.

You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4 : If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss

Rule 5 : Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity.

Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping:

They called it opportunity.

Rule 6 : If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault,

so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7 : Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring

as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills,

cleaning your clothes and listening to you

talk about how cool you thought you were:

So before you save the rain forest

from the parasites of your parent's generation,

try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8 : Your school may have done away with winners and losers,

but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades

and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer.

*This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9 : Life is not divided into semesters.

You don't get summers off and very few employers

are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF.

*Do that on your own time.

Rule 10 : Television is NOT real life.

In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11 : Be nice to nerds�

Chances are you'll end up working for one.

If you can read this... Thank a Teacher.

If you can read this in English... Thank a Soldier!

And for life and everything else you have... Thank God!!

Fog lifted, Rainbow Bridge

2012-01-24T15:40:00.002-05:00

Really it has .. I am finally feeling normal since Harley died. He was such a great old man and loved us humans... I really miss him so much. Having had him fo 17 years... my heart will ache for a long time. I know I can never replace him, so we are kitty-less now except for Queenie, Kendra's cat. We have not been kitty-less since 1983.... that is 29 years... that is a long time. But Harley has crossed Rainbow Bridge and is Happy and Healthy! I am ok with it, though sometimes I do cry over him....

Rainbow Bridge Poem

There is a bridge connecting heaven and earth. It is called Rainbow Bridge because of its many colours.

Just this side of the Rainbow Bridge there is a land of meadows, hills, valleys with lush green grass.

When a beloved pet dies, the pet goes to this special place. There is always food and water and warm spring weather.

The old and frail are young again. Those who are maimed are made whole again.

They play all day with each other. There is only one thing missing.

They are not with their special person who loved them on Earth.

So each day they run and play until the day comes when one suddenly stops playing and looks up !

The nose twitches !

The ears are up !

The eyes are staring !

And this one suddenly runs from the group !

You have been seen, and when you and your special friend meet, you take him or her into your arms and embrace.

Your face is kissed again and again, and you look once more into the eyes of your trusting pet.

Then you cross the Rainbow Bridge together, never again to be separated

Author Unknown

Slapwater

2012-01-22T18:32:00.001-05:00

Great times

HARLEY RIP

2012-01-20T01:53:00.004-05:00

Wacky Wednesday

2012-01-18T06:56:00.001-05:00

What makes you feel wacky ...crazy....nutso? Who can send you over the edge.. what makes you so crazy...that you want to just it to last forever?

Motivation

2012-01-17T10:20:00.000-05:00

What motivates you? What makes you do what you do??

Harley

2012-01-15T21:32:00.003-05:00

Harley is our pure bred Blue Point Himalayan... he is white with blue eyes.... he is beautiful.. he is loved and he is old. His official name is Harley Dude Torrence... HD for short..... We got Harley in 1995 when he was 2-3 years old.... so that makes him 19-20 years old or 133-139 years old in kitty years. He is an awesome cat.... he is picky, he is finiky, he is stuck up, he has no idea he is an animal, much less a cat.

He was always the perfect cat for our grands because he stayed away from them.. Never have we worried that he would bite them or scratch them... because he kept his distance... I can remember Cole dropping his sippy cup on the floor, so Harley would play 'SOCCER' with it. so sweet, and his letter Kailen brush his long hair and never ever nipping at her.... just walked away when he had enough..... and he and Jayden watching cartoons together in the den floor....on Jaydens Favorite blanket. Now days, Harley lets Tatem carry him around the house.... she tells him secrets all the time... and he loves it... they all have a connection to Harley. Including Kendra who when holding, Harley litterally 'sucks' her ear lobe, no one else, just hers.

He is having seizures during the day and at night.... he is getting lost in the house, he is forgetting where he is, he paces the floors and cries loud.... very loud. All the things he hated and was afraid of before... no longer, the hair dryer, all 4 grands going nuts, Tatem playing piano, Jayden dropping his guitar really close to him... all this he is fine with. He has forgotton so mch. Like living with a new kitty with no fears. Harley was an abused cat when we got him... so he was afraid of Wayne or any male..... of course over the 17 years, that he has OWNED us... he now loves Wayne.

At night, Harley cries... alot... he sounds so sad. It sounds like he is calling his Momma, We get up with him alot. We know there are our last days with him and we are trying to say goodbye and I think he is trying to say goodbye to us. Wayne has built him a nice bed to go to sleep in and he will have his snugglie with him, it is just hard. Wayne and I are shedding alot of tears over him... alot... I know he is a cat but he is a loved cat.

Harley wants to go outside and lay under the gazebo... but we are afraid he will get lost. I have heard stories about cats wondering off to die, I cannot let him die alone. I do think I need to tell him it is ok to go....maybe he is waiting on us to say it is okay.

Date night

2012-01-14T04:11:00.001-05:00

Oohh lala

Wednesday...hump day!

2012-01-11T06:14:00.002-05:00

Gonna play CATCH UP....

Sunday

2012-01-08T06:32:00.002-05:00

Lets see what I can get into today?

Saturday night with the grands

2012-01-07T12:30:00.004-05:00

Cannot wait

Friday photo day!

2012-01-06T05:24:00.000-05:00

I joined a photography club and once a week we have post a picture that we have taken that week.... so to track them and my progress if any...I will share them here...... and this my first...

we were on the 8th floor of the Wyndham in Va Beach and these Seagulls were playing on the beach..... I usually get to see them from the bottom, while in flight... so this was a plus!

Thinkin' Thursday!

2012-01-05T10:13:00.003-05:00

Thinkin Thursday is about things I am thinking about and this mind thinks alot....

~ Kendra and Ed..... I just want them to be IN love.... its a big deal that they have that.... with 5 kids that will be what they fall back on...

~ Summer, where is it? I need to run....

~ Cruise... I am ready NOW!

~ my New Camera...I LOVE IT!

~ Money... things are tight... but we are ok... I need to stop thinking about money.

~ My running... I hate running in the cold... I thought I would get to run in a gym but that is not working out... so now I am thinking Zumba classes are on the horizon.

~ Keli and couponing.... I really need her help but she is so busy.

~ My Job.

~ Craig lost his son and everyday ... 1000x over I have to hear him tell someone... I am staying in tears... I do not blame him for wanting to share, I blame me for being so sensitive to the point of crying everytime he starts talking about it... I feel awful for him.

~ My Hubby.... he is such a great man.

PEACE OUT!

Wacky Wednesday

2012-01-04T12:50:00.002-05:00

Hump day too... and Wacky things in the world....

I need this ...

2012-01-03T10:01:00.003-05:00

There are a few things that I need in my life....one being a new JOB....with benefits...stock options etc... I recently applied for a job that I know so very well... hoping to hear today...
Also need Kendra to get a job so she can start her new life....and she had an interview today....
So Praying for some Blessings......

I RESIGNED FROM FREE-CYCLE THIS MORNING.... 10 YEARS DONE... THATS ALOT OF VOLUNTEERING...

Got Harley shaved and he is pissed with me AGAIN!

30 things I will stop... Maniac Monday

2012-01-02T17:41:00.000-05:00

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Stop spending time with the wrong people. – Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you. If someone wants you in their life, they’ll make room for you. You shouldn’t have to fight for a spot. Never, ever insist yourself to someone who continuously overlooks your worth. And remember, it’s not the people that stand by your side when you’re at your best, but the ones who stand beside you when you’re at your worst that are your true friends.
Stop running from your problems. – Face them head on. No, it won’t be easy. There is no person in the world capable of flawlessly handling every punch thrown at them. We aren’t supposed to be able to instantly solve problems. That’s not how we’re made. In fact, we’re made to get upset, sad, hurt, stumble and fall. Because that’s the whole purpose of living – to face problems, learn, adapt, and solve them over the course of time. This is what ultimately molds us into the person we become.
Stop lying to yourself. – You can lie to anyone else in the world, but you can’t lie to yourself. Our lives improve only when we take chances, and the first and most difficult chance we can take is to be honest with ourselves. Read The Road Less Traveled.
Stop putting your own needs on the back burner. – The most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of loving someone too much, and forgetting that you are special too. Yes, help others; but help yourself too. If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do something that matters to you, that moment is now.
Stop trying to be someone you’re not. – One of the greatest challenges in life is being yourself in a world that’s trying to make you like everyone else. Someone will always be prettier, someone will always be smarter, someone will always be younger, but they will never be you. Don’t change so people will like you. Be yourself and the right people will love the real you.
Stop trying to hold onto the past. – You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading your last one.
Stop being scared to make a mistake. – Doing something and getting it wrong is at least ten times more productive than doing nothing. Every success has a trail of failures behind it, and every failure is leading towards success. You end up regretting the things you did NOT do far more than the things you did.
Stop berating yourself for old mistakes. – We may love the wrong person and cry about the wrong things, but no matter how things go wrong, one thing is for sure, mistakes help us find the person and things that are right for us. We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past. But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here NOW with the power to shape your day and your future. Every single thing that has ever happened in your life is preparing you for a moment that is yet to come.
Stop trying to buy happiness. – Many of the things we desire are expensive. But the truth is, the things that really satisfy us are totally free – love, laughter and working on our passions.
Stop exclusively looking to others for happiness. – If you’re not happy with who you are on the inside, you won’t be happy in a long-term relationship with anyone else either. You have to create stability in your own life first before you can share it with someone else. Read Stumbling on Happiness.
Stop being idle. – Don’t think too much or you’ll create a problem that wasn’t even there in the first place. Evaluate situations and take decisive action. You cannot change what you refuse to confront. Making progress involves risk. Period! You can’t make it to second base with your foot on first.
Stop thinking you’re not ready. – Nobody ever feels 100% ready when an opportunity arises. Because most great opportunities in life force us to grow beyond our comfort zones, which means we won’t feel totally comfortable at first.
Stop getting involved in relationships for the wrong reasons. – Relationships must be chosen wisely. It’s better to be alone than to be in bad company. There’s no need to rush. If something is meant to be, it will happen – in the right time, with the right person, and for the best reason. Fall in love when you’re ready, not when you’re lonely.
Stop rejecting new relationships just because old ones didn’t work. – In life you’ll realize that there is a purpose for everyone you meet. Some will test you, some will use you and some will teach you. But most importantly, some will bring out the best in you.
Stop trying to compete against everyone else. – Don’t worry about what others doing better than you. Concentrate on beating your own records every day. Success is a battle between YOU and YOURSELF only.
Stop being jealous of others. – Jealousy is the art of counting someone else’s blessings instead of your own. Ask yourself this: “What’s something I have that everyone wants?”
Stop complaining and feeling sorry for yourself. – Life’s curveballs are thrown for a reason – to shift your path in a direction that is meant for you. You may not see or understand everything the moment it happens, and it may be tough. But reflect back on those negative curveballs thrown at you in the past. You’ll often see that eventually they led you to a better place, person, state of mind, or situation. So smile! Let everyone know that today you are a lot stronger than you were yesterday, and you will be.
Stop holding grudges. – Don’t live your life with hate in your heart. You will end up hurting yourself more than the people you hate. Forgiveness is not saying, “What you did to me is okay.” It is saying, “I’m not going to let what you did to me ruin my happiness forever.” Forgiveness is the answer… let go, find peace, liberate yourself! And remember, forgiveness is not just for other people, it’s for you too. If you must, forgive yourself, move on and try to do better next time.
Stop letting others bring you down to their level. – Refuse to lower your standards to accommodate those who refuse to raise theirs.
Stop wasting time explaining yourself to others. – Your friends don’t need it and your enemies won’t believe it anyway. Just do what you know in your heart is right.
Stop doing the same things over and over without taking a break. – The time to take a deep breath is when you don’t have time for it. If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting. Sometimes you need to distance yourself to see things clearly.
Stop overlooking the beauty of small moments. – Enjoy the little things, because one day you may look back and discover they were the big things. The best portion of your life will be the small, nameless moments you spend smiling with someone who matters to you.
Stop trying to make things perfect. – The real world doesn’t reward perfectionists, it rewards people who get things done. Read Getting Things Done.
Stop following the path of least resistance. – Life is not easy, especially when you plan on achieving something worthwhile. Don’t take the easy way out. Do something extraordinary.
Stop acting like everything is fine if it isn’t. – It’s okay to fall apart for a little while. You don’t always have to pretend to be strong, and there is no need to constantly prove that everything is going well. You shouldn’t be concerned with what other people are thinking either – cry if you need to – it’s healthy to shed your tears. The sooner you do, the sooner you will be able to smile again.
Stop blaming others for your troubles. – The extent to which you can achieve your dreams depends on the extent to which you take responsibility for your life. When you blame others for what you’re going through, you deny responsibility – you give others power over that part of your life.
Stop trying to be everything to everyone. – Doing so is impossible, and trying will only burn you out. But making one person smile CAN change the world. Maybe not the whole world, but their world. So narrow your focus.
Stop worrying so much. – Worry will not strip tomorrow of its burdens, it will strip today of its joy. One way to check if something is worth mulling over is to ask yourself this question: “Will this matter in one year’s time? Three years? Five years?” If not, then it’s not worth worrying about.
Stop focusing on what you don’t want to happen. – Focus on what you do want to happen. Positive thinking is at the forefront of every great success story. If you awake every morning with the thought that something wonderful will happen in your life today, and you pay close attention, you’ll often find that you’re right.
Stop being ungrateful. – No matter how good or bad you have it, wake up each day thankful for your life. Someone somewhere else is desperately fighting for theirs. Instead of thinking about what you’re missing, try thinking about what you have that everyone else is missing.

back to normal... whatever that is...

2012-01-02T06:25:00.000-05:00

gonna take some time to get normal again... here are some 2012 goals for me!

Happy New Years!

2012-01-01T07:44:00.006-05:00

We are in Va Beach...home later...

New Years Eve with Slapwater

2011-12-31T06:13:00.008-05:00

It is New Years Eve.....and we have a great weekened planned out.... last night we all went to Busch Gardens... Keli, Aaron, Cole , Kailen, Kendra, Ed, Jayden, Tatem, Tyler and......... we all had a great time..... lots of light and music at Christmastown.... even got a few pictures... once I figure out how to download them!

Today we are headed to Va Beach.... we have reservations at The Wyndham... Slapwater is playing tonight... and I cannot wait.. I have a beautiful Navy Blue backless gown to wear! I am so excited! Pictures of course.

and I get to run on the boardwalk! I have walked and road bikes before but this is my first time as a RUNNER! I am so excited... going to run today and tomorrow~

New Years Eve Eve at Busch Gardens

2011-12-31T06:12:00.007-05:00

With all the kids

Shopping all day long

2011-12-30T06:05:00.002-05:00

But i found the dress

3days after....

2011-12-28T05:23:00.000-05:00

It's been 3 days since Christmas and I am beginning to realize how fast Christmas went by... all the hoopla in getting ready and then bam...gone like that... anyhow...I enjoyed this Christmas, gonna definately be a bit more ready next year.... kids and all shopping done earlier... so I can relax and not shop with the crowds so much. Tatem and Jayden were happier this year and more content with everything.... last year they were so confused. and Of COURSE Kendra is a happy girl this year. Cole and Kailen are always happy, Kailen spent Christmas Eve with me shopping and cooking.. I need her weekly... HOLY SMOKES.... she is good. Cole is such a grown kid now... he used his own money buy me a scarf...it is beautiful and Jayden bought me earrings.... I am so Blessed.

So I am going to start planning next Christmas in about 300 days or so.....

PEACE OUT!