Family Game Night

Long before Jose and I moved in together and long before CJ was even born, Friday’s used to be Family Game Night with Larissa and Nathan. I have always loved board games. I think that they are fun and a great way to spend quality family time without all the electronics bogging up our world today.

Last night, CJ wanted to play a game. Him and I do this quite often, just the two of us. I love that he is old enough now to really enjoy some games and I pick and choose games that I think he would enjoy the most. For Christmas he got Toy Story Operation. Instead of the old school Operation man in the game, it is Buzz Lightyear.

Did you happen to notice that the card has pink on it? With all the excitement, we managed to tip over a glass of fruit punch on the table and got it on some of the cards.

I was still cooking when he was done setting up so Jose decided to sit and play with him. After hearing some giggling and laughing going on, Larissa decided to join in and when Nathan came down, he wanted to be part of the fun too. An accidental Family Game Night I am calling it. We played a good eight rounds before we finished up. It was an amazing time with my family and it makes me consider bringing back our Family Game Night.

I managed to grab my cell and snap a few good pictures of the boys deep in concentration…lol.

If you look at the pictures closely, you will notice that my once brown table is now white. Well, it’s primed at least. I did it this past weekend. I have been looking for a change and finally decided to take the leap. I plan on finishing the painting this weekend and then I will post pictures of that project.

Happy Birthday Elvis !

I LOVE ELVIS PRESLEY!

Biography
Elvis Aaron Presley was born to Vernon and Gladys Presley in a two-room house in Tupelo, Mississippi, on January 8, 1935. His twin brother, Jessie Garon, was stillborn, leaving Elvis to grow up as an only child. He and his parents moved to Memphis, Tennessee, in 1948, and Elvis graduated from Humes High School there in 1953.

Elvis’ musical influences were the pop and country music of the time, the gospel music he heard in church and at the all-night gospel sings he frequently attended, and the black R&B he absorbed on historic Beale Street as a Memphis teenager.

In 1954, Elvis began his singing career with the legendary Sun Records label in Memphis. In late 1955, his recording contract was sold to RCA Victor. By 1956, he was an international sensation. With a sound and style that uniquely combined his diverse musical influences and blurred and challenged the social and racial barriers of the time, he ushered in a whole new era of American music and popular culture.

He starred in 33 successful films, made history with his television appearances and specials, and knew great acclaim through his many, often record-breaking, live concert performances on tour and in Las Vegas. Globally, he has sold over one billion records, more than any other artist. His American sales have earned him gold, platinum or multi-platinum awards. Among his many awards and accolades were 14 Grammy nominations (3 wins) from the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award which he received at age 36, and his being named One of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Nation for 1970 by the United States Jaycees. Without any of the special privileges, his celebrity status might have afforded him, he honorably served his country in the U.S. Army.

His talent, good looks, sensuality, charisma, and good humor endeared him to millions, as did the humility and human kindness he demonstrated throughout his life. Known the world over by his first name, he is regarded as one of the most important figures of twentieth century popular culture. Elvis died at his Memphis home, Graceland, on August 16, 1977.

For a fun, interactive walk through Elvis’ life, visit the 75 years of Elvis Timeline developed in celebration of Elvis’ 75th Birthday Celebration.

My Stairs and a New Way of Thinking

I fell down my stairs this morning. I was the last one in my family because everyone has already fallen down the stairs since we moved in, actually in the last two months or so. I think that the stairs are jinxed. There are so many things wrong with this house that it just wouldn’t shock me.

Have I voiced on here how much I hate my house? Yeah, yeah, yeah! I know that if you have been reading my blog or go back and read my blog, you will find where I say how happy I am with the house and what a good job Jose did picking the place. I was wrong. I said it and I will say it again. I was wrong.

This only reinforces why I am so scared to buy a house. From the outside the houses look great. It isn’t until you live in it that you start to see all the things wrong with it. This house has been one problem after another. Our half bath (if you can call it that) has been broken since July without an end date in sight from the landlords. When we take a shower, water goes downstairs into the back hallway. The toilet constantly gets clogged for no good reason at all. The sink in the bathroom barely drains. The upstairs only has heat in the bathroom. The kitchen cabinet doors all get stuck. The ice maker doesn’t make ice, it’s not even connected. The carbon monoxide/smoke detectors are seven years expired and don’t work. And that is all just what I can think of off the top of my head. AND according to our lease, these are all our problems. I am happy that our lease is over in June and that we can actually get away from it. This time I will be reading my lease from start to finish.

I don’t think that I have discussed my issues with this house on here yet but I have addressed how I can’t wait to get out of here and into our long term HOME soon. I have realized something important though…maybe due to my positive quotes of the day…lol. I need to stop dwelling so much on the negative and wasting my time complaining. The truth of the matter is that we are stuck here for another 5 months. I can either complain for 5 months or I can make the best of it. I am actually tired of hearing myself complain. So although we will only be here another 5 months, I need to continue to try to make it feel as much like home as I possibly can. I had given up doing this. I had tried and then go really pissed that I couldn’t paint that it just knocked me off of my decorating kick. It really does suck that I can’t paint but there is still so much I can do that will make the house feel better and it’s time that I do it. So here are my thoughts.

I took some time to look around each room and see what I would like to change and if anything needs to be changed and put a plan into action. Here is what I am thinking...

Living Room
• Slip covers that actually fit
• Covers for pillows
• Painting for over couch
• Picture Rails
• Paint End Tables
• Area Rug
• Coffee Table?
Dining Room
• Paint Dining Room table
• Recoat dining room chairs if I can
• Curtains for windows
• Find way to minimize clutter
Master Bedroom
• Pillows for bed
• Dresser
• Curtains
• Something big for above the bed
• Storage
Boys’ Room
• Curtains
• Dressers?
• Duvet Covers
• Pillows
• Bed skirts
• Personalizing each boys space
Bathroom
• Something above the toilet
• Towel holder
• New Rugs

Counting My Blessings

Today’s Positive Quotation:
"When I hear somebody sigh that life is hard, I am always tempted to ask, "Compared to what?"
It might sound corny, but it does help to “count your blessings” so that you pay attention to all the good things in life.

Everyone looks at someone else and thinks how wonderful it would be if you could have their house, their job, their furniture, their money, their happy family. There are two things that are very important to remember when you are in one of those moments.

First of all, things are not always what they seem. What appears to be a happy family is not always. What we see as outsiders is not always what is on the inside. No matter how happy appear to be, they have problems just like you and I. They are just better at hiding them than you might be.

The last thing is that just like you are looking to someone who has more than you, there is someone who has less than you looking at you and wanting what you have. There is someone out there wishing they had what you have. There are people much less fortunate that you who would love to have a fraction of what you have. Sometimes we forget that. Because we want more all the time, we forget what we already have. We try to teach this to our children but sometimes we forget to take our own advice.

Controlling Your Reactions

Today's Positive Quote:
"People don't just get upset. They contribute to their upsetness." -Albert Ellis
I'd like things to go my way, but, really, there's nothing that says they should. I need to remind myself that I have what it takes to improve my mood-and my life.

You can't control many of the things that happen to us but we can control how we react to it. My goodness ! If I could count the times that I said that to my oldest children. I am a big believer of this already. Maybe I don't always apply it to each aspect of my life as I would like though. This will be my motto this year for sure !

Today has been a bit stressful at work. It seems as though all the customers that I have delt with today have had every issue under the sun and are just down right mean. It set me in such a bad mood and then it hit me. I am going to take this stress home and take it out on my undeserving family. So instead I took a walk to the bathroom and took a deep breath. This is just one day. I will not allow these people to put me in the same mood that they are in. I am not a miserable person. I am going to go home with a smile and enjoy my beautiful family tonight. I hope you all do the same.

Looking at things differently

Today's Positive Quote:
"Sometimes our fate resembes a fruit tree in winter. Who would think that those branches would turn green again and blossom, but we hope it, we knew it." -Johanan Wolfgang Von Goethe.
My life is filled with ups and downs. If today is a bad day-or this week is a bad week-I know it's not forever and that I will come through it.

What a great quote! Things change. Our emotions change, sometimes a little too quickly. There are days when I feel like things will never get better and then they do. Funny how when they get better, the bad times don't seem so bad anymore.

This past year has been filled with ups and downs. Without those bad times though, I would not be able to really appreciate the great times. The struggles that the kids have had in school only make the good grades that much more important. The health issues remind us that we need to not take our health for granted. Having to get up for work each day means we have jobs and how quickly we forgot what it was like looking endlessly for a job. Being thankful for what I have needs to take center stage. I need to take the time to really see what I have instead of always looking at what I don't have. 2012 is a year of new beginning. It's all about what you make it. Let's make it a great year !

Happy 2012 Everyone

I want to start by wishing everyone a happy and healthy 2012.

My very best friend got me a book for Christmas. Not just a book but "The Daily Book of Positive Quotations". What a great gift. It's just what I need sometimes to keep on going.