The Debate of the Century

If this post doesn't get any comments, I am giving up altogether!

I am having an internal debate about whether to join Facebook. I have protested joining for way too long to just up and join now. But I recently had a cousin join, and several friends that I don't stay in contact with through email very well.

But there is still just something about it that I don't like. I can't really put my finger on it. Plus, until Jerelyn changes her password, I have access through her account so I can at least check up on the people she is friends with.

So, there you have it. I'm thinking about it. For those of you who know the process, this is the first step. If you don't know the process, ask Danell about the conversations we had about cell phones while I was in Texas.

TaTa for now!

Weddings

Well, the season is officially upon us : ). I attended the first of many weddings this spring/summer. Katie and Storm got married on Saturday. It was a beautiful wedding. Katie looked beautiful and Storm looked...nervous...and extremely happy. But we learned he wasn't all with it. As the couple dismissed the guests, our row decided we would all complement him on his tie just for the fun of it. So, eight in a row we gave Katie a hug and congratulations and then said "nice tie" or "fantastic tie" or "superb tie". No expected Storm comebacks, just "thank you, thank you." So, he was on autopilot. Totally understandable, but hilarious for the rest of us!

Also, before the wedding I was in the church office with a friend and Pastor Ritch came through. He asked us what we thought he should say at the wedding (acting as if he hadn't thought about it yet). We told him that he should continue his teachings on the end times. After all, the notes were already prepared. He said, "Good idea. 'Katie and Storm, the end is near.'" And then he said "It would be a wedding message no one would forget!" Fortunately for Katie and Storm, he did not take our advice. It was a beautiful ceremony! And now the bride and groom are enjoying each others company in Hawaii.

Just as everyone is thinking of beautiful Hawaii weather, here is the official weather update for Peoria on this wonderful spring day: High 48. As I looked out my window at work throughout the day, this is what I saw: clouds and wind, sun, snow (yes, you're reading correctly), sun, rain, sun, wind, snow, sun, rain, clouds. Very fascinating to watch. And pretty entertaining since I never quite knew what to expect!

Faithful Bloggers

So, apparently it has been a slow week in bloggerland. Most of the blogs I check regularly have been void of new information. Maybe everyone is out enjoying all the spring weather. Maybe they are working insane hours. Maybe they are busy taking care of precious children. Maybe they have decided to give up blogging forever (Oh, no, please don't do that. I'm begging you). Maybe their husbands/boyfriends/fathers have grounded them from the computer. In any event, Ashley has been the only one to faithfully keep me entertained, and for that I will forever be grateful. What would I do without her? Unfortunately, in several months I will have to find out. She will be marrying a great guy and moving to Missouri. Sigh. As long as she continues to blog, I won't lose her completely (hint, hint, hint).

Oh, and yes, I realize I was one of the unfaithful bloggers this week. I am blaming it on Maybe number 2!

Seasons Change

Here is a classic Teresa story...

I was driving to a client's house on Tuesday that I have been seeing for about a year, but he has only lived in this house since January. So, winter is the only season I have ever been in this particular area of Pekin. Well, I almost missed my turn because I didn't recognize the street! All the the trees had new green leaves on them which made the street seem so much smaller and closed in. I didn't recognize it at all! It was really funny. I had to make a sharp turn in order to make the turn. And of course I was running late...

A Beautiful Day and An Earthquake

Today was my first official day of spring. I wore sandals to church. I went rollerblading. I watched my friends throw a frisbee at the park. And I got a little sunburned. It was wonderful. I know it's supposed to be cool again this week, but I'm refusing to believe it!

And, I was remiss about not posting on the earthquake that happened on Thursday. I was sound asleep Thursday night. I woke up at 4:30am thinking that someone was standing at the end of my bed shaking it. I was startled and the adrenaline began pumping. But I sat up and no one was there. I eventually fell back to sleep. Than on Friday morning I was laying on the couch when the aftershock hit (yes, those of you who were around for the aftershock will be amazed that I was home on the couch at 10:15). I thought it was odd that the couch was shaking. But I don't watch the news and I didn't listen to the radio on the way to work, so as yet, I had no idea there had been an earthquake. I just thought that the the house was shaking for some odd reason. I had no idea that earthquakes could happen in Illinois. So I asked someone at work later, thinking that I was going to sound stupid asking if there had been an earthquake. But than I found out that there had been one. As a side note, I was also in an earthquake in Georgia while I was in college, but I somehow managed to miss that one. So now I can say that I've been in two earthquakes. I'm sure that information will get me far in life!

Sucked In

Here is the problem with blogs. You intend to get on the computer and quick check the 4 or 5 blogs you read regularly before you move on to other things you need to get done. Two hours later (I might be exaggerating that a little, but not by much) you are linked to someone you don't even know and crying at something they have written! It happens more often than I'd like to admit. A comment on someone's blog looks interesting, so I click on the person only to find out they have a blog and I read a couple of entries and then read a comment someone left on their blog that was interesting so I click on that person only to find out that they have a blog....Before you know it you are 3 or 4 people removed from the person that you know. One day I'm going to accidentally link myself back to my own blog and realize what a small world it really is!!!

A Spelling Lesson

Did I ever tell you I won 3rd place in the 3rd grade spelling bee? Well, I did. While I would like to claim that that made me a great speller, I would rather admit to using spell check or an old-fashioned dictionary on a regular basis when I'm not sure if I know how to spell a word. Well, in my previous post, I decided to use the word "paraphanalia". As soon as I typed it, I knew it probably wasn't spelled correctly. Apparently the word has an "er" in it as in "paraphernalia". I am pretty sure I never knew that. But I was skeptical that Blogger spell check was always correct, so I checked the dictionary and sure enough, also spelled with the "er". Personally, I don't like it, so I'm either going to boycott the word or spell it the way I want to spell it or begin using it in everyday language on a regular basis and over-pronouncing the "er". Try it. Out loud. Don't you think it sounds a little like you don't know quite what you're talking about.

I just did spell check again, and apparently "paraphanalia" is still wrong! : )

Better Late Than Never

I've been meaning to post some new pictures of John, but somehow I keep forgetting. Can anybody say "horrible aunt"! These are John at 4 months. He will be 5 months April 19. Hard to believe, but true. I also need to get some pictures from Dad and Amy's trip to see Chris, Ann, and John Easter weekend. And my mom is there right now as I type, so I'm sure I will be getting plenty of pictures from her! If you look not-so-closely, you can see his beautiful auburn hair (we have all been banned from calling it red : )! ). And apparently he has a dimple that Amy says he got from me. I never knew I had a dimple, but I'll take her word for it!

Chainsaw Kevin update: The tree in the front yard is cut down, but apparently there is a plan in the works to cut down other trees at a future time. Dad informed me that Chainsaw Kevin is fully equipped with lots of tree-cutting-down paraphernalia (I'm not sure what is needed, but there was some comment about climbing equipment). I still vote for spending all of my free time away from the house : ).

Chainsaw Anyone?

For those of you new to my blog since October, read here first.

Last week my dad informed me that Chainsaw Kevin had come over still requesting to cut down the tree in the front yard! I'm not sure which is worse, that he still wants to cut it down or that my dad hasn't gotten it cut down by any other means. Anyway, that's not exactly the point of my blog. My dad, being the fun-loving meddler that he is, asked what I was doing next Saturday. He wanted me to have the pleasure of being home when Chainsaw Kevin came to cut down the tree, so he was willing to schedule the tree-cutting ceremony for a day and time when I was home. Amy suggested having a friend over, popping some popcorn, pulling up some chairs to the window, and enjoying the show. I, of course, promptly informed them that I was very busy next Saturday and so were all of my friends. And, furthermore, I was busy for every Saturday in the foreseeable future.

So, tonight, we're sitting in the living room when the doorbell rings. Dad answers it, goes outside to talk to whomever is at the door, comes back in and announces that he and Chainsaw Kevin (yes, he called him that) are going to cut down the tree. I told him that he definitely needed to practice calling the guy Kevin so that he did not slip up and accidentally call him Chainsaw Kevin to his face. While they cut down the tree, Daynah and I played a game and then I got ready for church. As I was pulling out of the driveway the men (including Josh) were yelling timber. Okay, not really. But dad was pushing on the tree as Kevin sawed the bottom. I might have said timber in my head just for the fun of it as the tree toppled to the ground!

Maybe that's the last we'll hear of Chainsaw Kevin now that the tree is cut down?! Hopefully...

Eating Worms

Every once in a while you just have to pause, take a deep breath, and sing the song "Nobody likes me, everybody hates me. Guess I'll go eat some worms..."

I haven't had any comments on my last two postings. It makes me wonder if anyone is even reading my blog anymore. The most comments I've gotten since February 7th is 5. There was a time when I was in the double digits. Now, someone once pointed out to me that I should not blog for the comments, but why else would I blog? Sometimes it's for my own amusement. Sometimes I just have something that has to be said. But most of the time it's because I am trying to entertain a larger public. But how do I know if I am entertaining a larger public if no one ever comments on my blog. Okay, enough whining. That might be the title of my next blog.

I had to google the words to the above song because I couldn't remember the rest and I was curious, so for your reading pleasure...

"Nobody likes me, everybody hates me,
Guess I'll go eat worms,
Long, thin, slimy ones;
Short, fat, juicy ones,
Itsy, bitsy, fuzzy wuzzy worms.

Down goes the first one, down goes the second one,
Oh how they wiggle and squirm.
Up comes the first one, up comes the second one,
Oh how they wiggle and squirm."

Blast from the Past

I received a package in the mail from my mom last week. The contents of which shocked and amazed me. And then made me laugh out loud! My mom is getting ready to move into a new apartment, so she was going through her things. She came across these things of mine. Apparently, they are two of my most cherished possessions!

This is my very favorite wallet. And a portfolio of sorts that had personalized stationary inside! Inside the portfolio was a list I made of everything I received for Christmas in 1993. Yes, I am apparently a nerd who would make a list of the things people bought me! And by a list of everything, I mean down to the fact that I got mouthwash, deoderant, nail polish, and mascara (among other things) in my stocking. Here are the big winners from the list:

• an electric typewriter
• 3 Trolls
• Sega Game Gear
• black stirrup pants

And, to make the list a little more practical and less nerdy, I wrote down who gave me what and checked off the one's that I sent thank you cards to. I really was good at sending thank you cards at one time. Or maybe it was just because my mom made me do it.

Here is the contents of the wallet. No money (unless my mom took it out before sending it!), but an amazing array of other things.

• My library card.
• Two middle school ID cards. Sorry, I purposely covered up the pictures. You only get a tiny glimpse of how horrible my hair looked, and you don't get to see the glasses I had on!
• My prom promise card. "Prom night will be one of the most memorable nights in my life, and I want to stay alive to remember it. So whether I attend prom or not, I promise not to use alcohol or drugs on prom night. I won't let these things mess up an important time for me and my friends. We don't need them for a good time. We need each other. We can still have a good time, but we can also be safe, sober, and alive." I don't think this was from the year I actually went to prom, but I'm not sure because it wasn't dated.
• One of my mom's business cards.
• My temporary receipt before I got my first driver's license. Apparently, I lied about my height.

I'm not really sure why all of those things were together in one wallet since they spanned a time of about 5 years. Hopefully I was not still using that wallet when I was in high school!

Room with a View / So I'm Weird

I'm back from Colorado. I had a wonderful time. I know most of you think I'm weird for going on a ski trip and not skiing, but this was a very relaxing weekend for me and one that I needed. It was a retreat of sorts that just happened to be in Colorado. I was able to hang out with my friends in the evening and one day at lunch, but the rest of the time I had the condo to myself. I did a lot of reading, listened to several sermons I have missed in the current series Pastor Ritch is doing on the Sermon on the Mount, read some more, completed a puzzle. In general, I relaxed. I was going to take a walk one day, but never quite got around to it. Well, unless you count walking across the street to get a Dr. Pepper on Saturday : ). I did remember to look out the window a lot. Here are a few pictures of the view I would encounter. What an amazing God we serve, that he has created these beautiful mountains for our enjoyment (whether it's to look at or ski down). It was a beautiful day this day, with not a cloud in sight!

Didn't want to bore you

I haven't posted in a while, but my life has been pretty boring. Not much to post about. I ended up getting yet another cold last week and am still blowing my nose every 5 minutes. Is spring ever going to come? I've had the rainy day blues the last few days.

But on a positive note...tomorrow is Wednesday for most of you, but Friday for me. I'm working a half day and then getting ready to go on a ski trip to Colorado. Notice I didn't say I was going skiing in Colorado. There is a HUGE difference. I am just getting the benefit of going without actually skiing : ). I know, none of you are surprised. I am going to relax, read some books, do some shopping while everyone else skis. I know that most of you do not understand. I have given up trying to explain. Just know that while you are working on Thursday and Friday, I will be relaxing in Colorado! Have a great weekend!