Theme from Forrest Gump (I hit enter before I put in the title, duh!)

 

I found this meme over at Leigh's journal, I Was Thinking.. .

 

Leigh came up with these questions to interview me!

 

1. What is the most daring thing you have ever done?

I have the real answer to this, and the one that I will give here online, where my kids can read it!  Also, daring can mean different things to different people.  LOL  The most daring thing I have ever done would have to be taking the Stock Brokers Exam (passing with mid 90's), and trying to work as a broker for about 8 months, on commission only.  I didn't do very well, but a lot of that was due to the company I ended up working at!  (long story)

 

2. What was your favorite subject in High School?

I liked everything except for the harder maths; intermediate algebra, trigonometry and pre-calculus were very tough.  Those I did because I had to do so, not because I wanted to do so.  I loved all the sciences, english lit, history, and spanish!  My spanish still gets me by to this day!

 

Oh dear, pick one, Dawn.... okay - science!!! I loved it most each year, Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

 

3. What would you do if you won a huge Lottery Jackpot?

Oh wow... so many things.  First, put away a chunk for each kid, in trust until 25.  Second, set up another account to cover college and expenses for each.  Next, pay off the mortgage and all outstanding bills.  Then, set up a $10K allowance monthly to go to my parents, so they could stop working or not, depending on what they wanted to do, but either way, financially they would be covered.  I would also give money to certain charities that mean a lot to me and mine. 

 

Hubby and I would be able to travel more with the kids as a family, and not worry about money, that would be the best part.  I wouldn't change anything else. Great question!

 

4. How many toppings are on your Pizza?

I like chopped onions and peppers, or sausage.  I hate pepperoni on pizza because it gets so greasy.  Hubby loves it though!  lol I will try other things occasionally, but those are the basic toppings I will order!

 

5. You can Time Travel-When, Where, and Why?

Great question, again!  I have been mulling this over for two days now, and I am still not sure.  Either back in time to England, in the court of Queen Elizabeth I because it is one of my favorite periods of history, or ahead to the future one hundred years from now, to see my grandchildren's kids, and see if they remember my generation at all, and what their world is like!  So, I guess two answers it is!!! LOL

Thank you, Leigh for interviewing me!  That was a lot of fun!

If you would like to be interviewed by me, here are the directions!!!!

1. Leave me a comment saying "Interview Me"

2. I will respond by e-mailing you 5 questions.  I get to pick the questions.

3. You will update your journal with a post containing your answers to the questions.

4.  You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.

5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them 5 questions.

Okay... ready, set, interview!!!

be well,
Dawn

Tags: meme, daring, lottery, school, pizza, Leigh, I was thinking.., coffee

Fashion

  I have been so busy since Friday!

'Back to School' is Tuesday, the 11th for my brood.  Thanks to construction, the cursed Fates, and that nothing is simple, easy, or ordinary in Dawn's world.  lol 

Hubby and I attacked the clothes shopping, alone, on Friday.  Why alone, you ask?  Why weren't the kids in tow? 

I'll tell you why... because the night before they (read: Fuzzy and Pumpkin) sent Hubby and I (more Hubby than I) over the edge with complaining about how they don't get the right 'brand' of clothes yadda yadda, all the OTHER kids get this and that and they get nothing.

Oh yeah, wrong thing to do as your parents are heading out the next day to shop for you.  So, Hubby had them fetch his work shoes to look at how they soles are worn through, and my capri pants that are wearing thin in the seat, and asked them if they had clothes like that. 

It shut them up, and made them contrite, but they needed a punishment to drive it home.  The punishment was that we would shop alone and they would live with our choices.  Period. 

Of course, they loved everything we got anyhow, but they didn't get to shop, so hopefully, lesson learned.

Obviously, we do without for our kids as our choice, but dang it, they do need to appreciate it.  I am more patient with the appreciation coming in bits and pieces as they grow and mature.

Hubby not so much, but he had nothing as a kid.  And, I mean little to nothing, so he does not suffer an attitude of 'not appreciating' at all.

Yesterday, Hubby and my mom took the kids to a friends house in Upstate NY, who was having a kids day party that she does each year.  My dad and I passed on it.  The thought of driving 2 hours there and back was just too much, for my head and my body.  So, dad and I did food shopping, as it was time to get lunch stuff and 'school' snacks. 

We all went out to Houlihan's at 6pm, when the travellers got home, and heard about their fun day. 

Today has been spent clearing out the closets.  I went through all three closets and bagged the outgrown items to give to the less fortunate.  I tackled Pumpkin's scary mess of a room, and we reorganized it and hung up her new clothes.  Pumpkin did help in the process, too.

I still have to finish up the boy's room, but I needed a break and decided to spend it with you!  I have to take breaks or else I really suffer after a day like this.  Now, I will still suffer, just less!  Dang RA/Lupus.  lol

I totally missed Caturday, so I will have to put up a cat picture for you all at the bottom!  Hope each and everyone of you is having a fabulous weekend! 

Leigh, I will get to the meme!  Hopefully, tonight!

be well,
Dawn

Tags: kids, appreciation, back to school, shopping, tired, pain, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, coffee, yum

Thankful Thursday

It is that time again...  I am so off-kilter, I almost forgot!

Thankful Thursday Things...

1.     Coffee.  Yes, it is at the top of my list again.  I know that seems shallow, but when you need it to live, to function, to leave the bed, you really do have to give it props.

2.     Hubby.  He missed me so much while I was gone!!!  It was so cute and sweet!  And, he cleaned, vacuumed, and did laundry!  Very hot...  I love when my man cleans!!!!

3.     Libby, Pumpkin & Tina.  You really don't appreciate how much love and comfort your dog and cats bring to your life until you are away from them, and reach to pet them, and you remember they aren't there.

4.     NJ Roads and drivers.  Yes, you read that right!  Indiana was full of speed freak, crazy butt drivers, passing on the right shoulders at 70 mph, tailgating, and worse!  The signs were confusing and usually non-existent, and there were accidents everywhere all the time we were there!  I told all my relatives now living in Indy that are former NJ-ites, I had better never hear them complaining about NJ traffic, drivers or roads, EVER! LOL

5.     Prednisone.  It truly is a miracle drug, but a vicious double-edged sword. 

On the one hand, it cut through my fatigue, swelling, and joint pain like Samurai sword through a watermelon.  I felt great, and was able to do whatever I needed to do!  Sure, it kept me awake for 40 hours after the first dose, and gave me the jitters a little, but that was a fair trade to me. 

However, then the sword swings back into yourself and longterm steroid usage kills your kidneys, messes up your bloodwork, usually gives you diabetes, wounds don't heal, infections run rampant, and you eat like you have 4 stomachs. 

<sigh>  If there was just some way to take the good that prednisone can do, and counteract the side effects, living with Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and a host of other diseases, such as MS, Crohn's, Psoriasis etc, would be so much easier!

So, that is why no more longterm prednisone usage for me.  Just an occasional 'pulse' for vacation.

6.     Football.  Yay!  The season started officially tonight!  The Indianapolis Colts, current Super Bowl champs, vs. the New Orleans Saints!  Jets and Giants this weekend!  Wooohooo!

I am going to join Hubby to watch right now!

be well,
Dawn

Tags: Thankful Thursday, coffee, Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, pain, prednisone, crazy drivers, football

Sweet Escape

While I was away, Gaz tagged me for a meme, and I promised him I would do it last night... then I fell asleep.

Sorry, Gaz! 

Check him out over at Diary of a podgy poof!!

Middle Name Meme - Using each letter of your middle name, write something relevant about yourself.

My middle name is Ann.

A  -  Affectionate, comes to mind.  I am one of those 'touchy feely huggy' types, although, not to the point of being annoying!  LOL  I love to hug my kids and hold hands with Hubby.  :-)

N  -  Nest-er.  Is that a word?  I am a bit of a homebody.  Part of that is by choice - I love being home with the kids.  Part is due to Rheumatoid Arthritis/Lupus issues.  It all works out in the end, though. :-)  I think that the word 'nurturer' also fits here.

N  -  Nostalgic, being 'sentimental'.  I cry at commercials, movies, tv shows, books... when my kids say something particularly sweet... lol

                  

That was fun... I tag.... all of you!  LOL

I went to bed last night before 11pm... I know... shocking for me, right?  And, I slept until 11am!  Yikes! 

Unfortunately, when the prednisone wears off, you really crash.  It was worth it though, because I was able to do whatever I needed to do in Indy while we were there.  I never said, 'no, I need to lay down' once. 

I am going to take the kids bowling today! 

Be back later...

be well,
Dawn

Tags: meme, Gaz, Diary of a Podgy Poof, coffee, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, pain, fun, kids

The Wall

Did you miss me?  I missed you!!!

Today, should have been the first day of school, but it isn't.

Due to construction, school opening is delayed until Tuesday, 9/11. 

I know I have lots of journals to read, but I am sore, so it may take me a while to get there!  Be patient with me!

As you can see, the highlights of the Indy trip were the wedding and the visit to the museum.  Our hotel, the Hampton Inn, was excellent!  It was clean, beautiful and very comfy.  There was 24 hour coffee (yay me!), free internet access and a printer, free fruit all day, breakfast, and a cocktail hour! 

My cousin Karol was at this hotel with her kids, so it was really nice.  The kids played in the pool a few times, and my dad took them to a local arcade/mini golf/batting cages place that was just 2 minutes away.  There never seemed to be a lack of things to do!

I loved the opportunity to visit with family that we don't often see. 

I will be back again to tell more specific stories... but I must go now!  The kids are calling!  LOL

Thanks for all the thoughtful notes; I am doing okay.  The prednisone pulse did what it needed to do, but now I am tired and sore.  Life with RA/Lupus... eventually, it catches up.

be well,
Dawn

Tags: indiana, trip, wedding, vacation, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, pain, tired, coffee

Anchors Away or is it Aweigh?

Here are the pictures from the museum for the USS Salamonie, the ship that my dad served on from 1958 until 1961. 

The ship was an oil tanker, and provided fuel to destroyers and aircraft carriers.  It served the USS Forrestal, USS Shangrila, and the USS Little Rock, to name a few.

The ship was named after a river in Indiana, only about 45 minutes from where we were staying.

The town is small and sweet, with only one traffic light!  The town clerk, who serves on the museum board, arranged for the museum to be opened up, just for us. 

It was a wonderful experience!

be well,
Dawn

Tags: USS Salamonie, museum, navy, my dad

Here Comes the Bride!

I'm baaaaaaaack!!!

But, for now, just pictures...

be well,
Dawn

Tags: pictures, wedding, Indiana, did ya miss me?