Aging Wisely...

Here are some fun facts about the number 38, according to wikipedia:
* The number of games that each team in the current English Premiership, the top     division in English Association Football, plays in a season
* Bill C-38 legalized same-sex marriage in Canada
* The number of years it took the Israelites to travel from Kadesh Barnea to the Zered valley in Deuteronomy.
* A "38" is often the name for a snub nose .38 caliber revolver
* Name of the southern rock band 38 Special
* The 38 class is the most famous class of steam locomotive used in New South Wales
* The number of the French department Isère
* There are 38 surviving plays written by William Shakespeare
* The gate of the sci-fi TV series Stargate SG-1 can stay open a maximum of 38 minutes.
* In Taiwan and some places in southern Chinese mainland, "3, 8", but not "38", is slang for stupid/idiot,especially women.



Now, here are some fun facts about the age 38, according to Tiffipedia:
* The number of times I pee my pants while sneezing, in a month.
* The number of years it took me to say "Screw it! I am happy with myself just the way I am", and truly mean it.
* The year I realized that having a chin hair grow three inches overnight was a foreshadow    into my future... Ben is a lucky man!
* The age I was when I celebrated 18 years of marriage to the man of my dreams, my oldest daughter turned 16 and my baby became a teenager. 


I remember when I was my girls age and meeting someone my age and thinking, "Good Lord, they are old. I hope I don't look that old when I am 38". I now know that 38 is not old, and those woman didn't look old, they simply looked wiser and more mature. As I am quickly creeping (rather, 'sprinting') up on the big 'three-eight',  I see just how wise I am. I am wise enough to know that I need at least 9 hours of sleep for my family to like me and that I require 2 cups of coffee in the morning before I can utter words, or those around me can utter words to me. Also, that I need to quit fighting the baggage under my eyes that looks like I am recovering from a severe case of the  'just had the nose job's, for the baggage will ALWAYS win! I am wise enough to be able to look at my husband and kids and to be truly grateful for them when I know that I am not worthy of having such awesome creatures love me. I am wise enough to know that even though I will make mistakes daily, I will also learn from them and not regret them. I am wise enough to know that my relationship with my parents will be an example to my kids on how to treat me. I am wise enough to know that I should NEVER leave the house without a bra on, even to walk to the mailbox. I am wise enough to know not to be embarrassed of/by my stretch marks, snuffalumpagus belly (what your belly looks like after a c-section), my gray hairs, and cottage cheese thighs, because they are all battle scars from motherhood. I am wise enough to know that not everyone is blessed with motherhood so that I should ALWAYS hold EVERY second precious with my babies, because the next second is never a guarantee.  I am wise enough to know that even though my child hood wasn't ideal, it was perfect for me because it made me who I am today. I am wise enough to know that without the love of my family and friends, my life would be nonexistent and without the unconditional love of God, NOTHING would matter... not even how wise I am. Lastly, I am wise enough to know that even with all my wiseness (yes, that's a word) I still know nothing. Now THAT is deep!


So, upon entering my 38th year, I want to say THANK YOU and I LOVE YOU to my nearest and dearest. You all are responsible for making these first 38 (ok, 37 3/4 if you want to get technical) as wonderful as they have been. I am definitely wise enough to be ever thankful for you. 


*** I hope my wise family and friends took this as the huge reminder that my birthday is drawing near, so they better get shopping ;) ***

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Soul II Soul said it best...

Back to life. Back to reality. This is the song that was on a loop in my head as I taxied off of the Florida runway. I would soon forget the way the palms swayed in the breeze and the surf sounded as I drank my morning coffee. If I was an emotional person, I probably would have shed a tear right there on the plane.

Anyone that knows me well knows that I am meant to live on the water, most specifically, the ocean. I am happiest when I am surrounded by my family while my toes are in the sand.  Our summer vacation this year was in Panama City Beach and I loved it! The water was clear enough to see the hoards of jelly fish that resided there and the lone shark I saw about 30 feet from shore one morning while I drank my coffee. I was totally in my element. I got to see family I haven't seen in years, including my bub who I haven't seen since he was safely returned to us from Iraq (Thank you Lord). I also was surrounded by yummy seafood, need I say more?

Our very last full day was spent on Shell Island. OH.MY.GOODNESS! This place blew my eyeballs away! It was the most beautiful place I have ever been. It was totally unmarred by man. Everywhere I looked it was water, sand, grass, or sky... PERFECTION! The water was the most beautiful color of aquamarine, especially when it rolled into the powdery white sand. The dolphins were totally friendly and where happy to interact with the island visitors. Ben and the girls were about 50 feet from shore and saw a few smallish black tip sharks sharing their space with them. I could have stayed here FOREVER...

... and then I met the jellyfish. More specifically, the jellyfish introduced me to his tentacles. Now, to be fair, in the beautiful sunlit water my thighs could very easily be confused for some sort of albino sea creature. I knew instantly what was happening across both thighs (that's right, MY jellyfish was an overachiever). I started hopping back and forth and (allegedly) screaming like a little girl. Ben looked at me with both shock and embarrassment (his usual look regarding me) and cocked his head. I said, "I was just stung! I need you to take me to shore and pee on me!" His response was a very heartfelt... "pee on yourself". CHIVALRY IS DEAD! Needless to say, my remaining time on Shell Island was spent on the sand, enjoying the beautiful scenery and watching my family search for shells and have a ball in the water. I was definitely feeling very blessed with so much more than I deserve (except the sting. I totally deserved that). God is so good.

My plan for that last night in Florida was to do the mandatory 'tan shorts, white shirt, family pic' on the beach. I was so excited to capture that second in time and I very smartly planned it for our last night because I figured we (me) would be nice and tan by then. What I didn't account for was the actual shade of tan I would be after a day if being on a secluded island, sequestered to the very reflective sand. My skin tone was less 'burnt sienna' and more 'Elmo on fire'. Needless to say, the TSWS pic was not happening! Not because I was too vain to stand next to my beautifully tanned family members and be immortally captured and proudly displayed over the mantle for all to ogle (read 'laugh at'). It had more to do with the fact that blinking brought tears to my eyes and I am pretty sure I could hear my hair crying, so donning actual clothing was not an option. So instead, I would opt to spend my last night in paradise naked and covered in sticky aloe vera WITH LIDOCAINE (thank you again, God, for lidocaine *and wine*).

So as I sit here reflecting on my wonderful week in beauty I can't help but to note my lessons learned.
1. Apply sunscreen every 32 seconds while on an island
2. Don't plan pictures for the end of a vacation UNLESS you are diligent about #1
3. Eat more seafood
4. Remember where you park the rental car in the 7 level garage. Hitting the panic button doesn't really work when the horn bounces off of the stone walls.
5. Buy the picture of all four of you during dinner, even if there are cheese sticks smack-dab in the middle of it. It WILL be the only one of you all together the whole trip!
**** and possibly most import****
6. Take an ample supply of urine with you while visiting the ocean. You CAN NOT rely on your significant other to provide it in an emergency.

I am woman. Hear me yawn...

As you may have known, I have been out of the workforce for several years, due to raising babies and what-not. I LOVED being a stay-at-home-mom, but now that the girls are older I was ready to get out of the house during the day and use what was left of my brain. I could seriously feel myself getting dumber everyday. When I started looking, I was blessed to find a great job at our dentist office. The doctors and staff are amazing and I truly feel like I have been adopted into a second family. The staff consists of 11 women (the poor doctors are the only men) and all of us are mothers. That is so awesome because they all understand that your family comes first. Just yesterday Caty called me at work and said she was locked out of the house. Apparently, the battery on the garage pad had died (PSA - check your garage pad battery often)! Thankfully, I live less than 10 minutes from the office, so the gals covered me while I ran home to let my kids inside. As much as I love having a job and getting my smarts back, I love even more that the fam is finally realizing all that I did when I was 'available' anytime of the day. No longer are the 20 trips a week to the schools to bring forgotten homework or gym uniforms. Gone are the days when I was the first parent in line for pick-up (now Ali is usually the last one there). The Karacia's know that dinner on the table by six is a thing of the past, as is a clean house,  but it's all good! I know I was ready to get back into the workforce. I like feeling that I am contributing something to the bank account. Let's be honest, that is a HEAVY burden to bear on your own, and Ben did it for years without complaint, just so our girls would/could have me around all the time, and for that I will be eternally grateful. I consider it the biggest blessing of my like that I was able to be home with my kids everyday. Who cares if my laundry room now looks like the Dugger's live here! So what if we live on ramen noodles and peanut butter sandwiches because I only make it to the grocery on Fridays (if I'm lucky). I respect and appreciate all the working mothers out there. I had forgotten how hard it was to keep a house, raise kids, and hold a job at the same time. I am so thankful for Ben and the girls for supporting my decision to go back to work. They realized it was something I had to do for my own sanity. Hmmm, now that I think about it, it was probably just a selfish support on their behalf, because you know what they say "if momma is crazy, we're all gonna be crazy". 

Pilates is dangerous...

You know that pain you get when you get snapped by a rubber band? OUCH! Times that by a billion and that is what it felt like when my exercise band broke mid maneuver and smacked me in the face! Pilates is dangerous! I know that there are woman well into their 80's that are reaping the benefits of it, but dangit, I am in pain!
No one has ever accused me of being coordinated. I trip over my own feet...OFTEN. Remember my Facebook post regarding my not-so-graceful face plant because of my pajama pants? Things like that are almost a daily occurrence, but come on. I thought that an exercise that had no swift movements and is mainly  a bunch of core work and stretching was safe, even for me! I guess that is what I get for thinking! 
I have been a lover of Pilates for several years and really enjoy doing it, but it has not been without it's fair share of pain (and I'm not talking the good kind: NO PAIN NO GAIN). I'm talking about the sprained ankle I have gotten while trying to balance on one leg, the pulled quad muscle, and the twisted finger (don't ask me! I still can't figure that one out), but I must say, this band welt is the most painful. 
I whole-heartedly admit that this is a prime example of a 'first world problem'. "Oh, boo hoo, I hurt myself while getting myself in shape. I think I will ice my wounds while I plan my vacation." I have never been ashamed to look like a fool to my reader. I also have never been afraid to warn you of dangers, and let's not forget that this is why you are here now. 
PILATES IS DANGEROUS! And if you are me, so is walking, sitting, standing, breathing, eating, sleeping (remember when I woke up with 3 dislocated ribs), and probably very soon, typing.  
Now that I have informed you, I must go ice my face and my dignity.
Toodle-loo

I am a Republican and I DO NOT want to kill your grandma...

I REPEAT, I DO NOT WANT TO KILL YOUR GRANDMA! I would think that would be obvious and I wouldn't need to state it, but seeing as how it's election time again (UUUGGGHHH) and I keep hearing how awful Republicans are, I thought I would clear my name!

I am a Republican that DETESTS blanket statements such as the above. People (DEMS and REPS alike) that makes statements like this are just ignorant. They are ubër dangerous because they influence those that are too lazy to research on their own. This leads to uninformed voters basing their decision on lies and false promises...wait, that may be EVERY election, but I digress. Let's get back to me...I have heard that 'I' (because I am a Republican) not only want to kill your grandma, but also hate gays and the poor, love war, and am racist. In actuality, NONE of these bear any resemblance to my actual feelings.

I am a Republican that chooses not to make your sexual preference any business of mine. If you are nice to me, I will be nice to you. I happen to love someone WITH ALL MY HEART that is gay and I would stick up for them no matter the consequence. Why they need 'stuck up for' in this day and age still blows my mind, but that is a WHOLE OTHER BLOG ENTRY!

I am a Republican that doesn't look at you as anything other human, no matter what is in your bank account. If you need assistance, I will help you...as long as you are willing to help yourself in the process. I am not about getting 'something for nothing'. Just as my kids have to earn what they want, so should you. I grew up with a single mother who worked two jobs most of my childhood to provide for her kids. I remember only one time her being on welfare, and then it was only briefly, so her kids could eat. She did not rape the system and she certainly did not expect the government to continue to pay for the decisions she was making. I am very proud of her for that.

I am a Republican that does not love war. As a matter of fact, I wish for nothing more that for this war to be over with so I don't have to worry about my cousin being deployed again. I know, however, that sometimes it is necessary. But to reiterate, I HATE it!

I am a Republican that doesn't look at the color of your skin to determine your worth. I know and love several people of different ethnicities, and am a better person for it! Again, if you are nice to me, I will be nice to you!

Last, but not least, I am a Republican that hates politics. I love the idea of democracy, but we have become so skewed that I don't see us getting back to a productive form of government anytime soon.

Now, look me in the eyes so I know you are listening to me (sorry, I'm a mom and some habits are hard to break)... Blanket statements are bad, and totally false! Saying that all Republicans hate gays is like saying all Democrats are for abortion. Saying that all Democrats don't agree with the war is like saying that all Republicans are hypocrites. We need to remember that we are all screwed together, so why can't we all just get along!
That is all... but FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS HOLY, LEAVE YOUR GRANDMA OUT OF IT!

I LOVE AMERICA!

The first step is admitting...

I am not ashamed to admit that I am currently suffering from an addiction. Like most addictions, I can't stop thinking about it when I am not in the midst of being consumed by it. This addiction is so NOT what I would ever expect myself enjoying. As a matter of fact, I tried it out by accident one day and that was all it took... I WAS HOOKED! So, it is with some embarrassment that I am admitting that I am addicted to THE WALKING DEAD. My 'happy-go-lucky' self CAN NOT GET ENOUGH of this zombiepocolypse tv show. I purposely kept my eyes away from it for one and a half seasons and then I'll be derned if Ben didn't find the marathon before the last episode of the first half of the second season (I hope that makes sense to you, because I got confused just typing it) and started watching them. I am a huge scaredy cat so this show scared the bejesus out of me just be seeing the commercials, but I could not take my eyes off of the tv. Now, every Sunday night you can find me planted on my couch with a blanket over my face, watching the zombies attack and the humans live another day. This is one of the best dramas I have ever been sucked into! I get excited for a tv show, and that hasn't happened since Beverly Hills 90210! Dare I say, Rick Grimes is a better character than Donna, Dillon, Kelly, Brenda, Brandon, David, Steve, and Andrea combined. If you love suspense and some gore (or even if you don't; I certainly am not a fan of either) then you need to check it out!! So it gives me nightmares, and makes me scared to walk to the bathroom after dark, but I CAN'T STOP!! Hopefully it doesn't get so bad that I need a Zombievention... I may go full medieval on someone! I gotta go! It's on is an hour and forty minutes and I have to prepare myself!

Cate and Maddie excepting the Dance Dare...

If you are someone with a TV, I am sure you are aware by now, of Ellen's Dance Dare. If you are not aware of what it is then I will enlighten you. Ellen sent out a dare to all her viewers to go up behind someone without them knowing it and start dancing (without getting caught). These videos are HYSTERICAL!!! Cate saw this segment and wanted to accept the challenge. Here are her and her friend Maddie getting their secret groove on at Target today! Hopefully their video will get picked to be showed on the segment. If not, oh well. They had A BALL doing this!!