Almost Never Clever Blog Hop Announcement

It's that time of year again.  I will be participating in Almost Never Clever's Cell Phone blog hop on October 9.  I hope you will be joining me.  Here is my post from the last blog hop in case you missed it.    Here  

In other news, Erik and I will be sending the children away...to my Mother in Law's for three days.  We will get three whole days to ourselves.  I am hoping to get photos edited, my office cleaned, and some scrapbooking done.  I have really been missing scrapbooking lately.  I find this as a good sign.  One of my friend's is opening up her house for us to craft for four whole days.  I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it, but regardless I want to get some layouts done.

Yesterday was my cousin's wedding.  They got married at Quemado Lake.  What a beautiful place.  I think it has to be one of the most beautiful places I've ever visited.  I can't wait to go back with Erik and the kids.  

Well, I guess that's it for today, dear friends.  Enjoy your football games and Sunday with family.

Blog Your Heart

It's that time again.  Stephanie Howell is hosting Blog Your Heart on her blog again.  I realize you all wait for this moment, where I pour my heart out.  Okay, maybe not so much.

1.  I am OVERWHELMED at this instant.  I have so many photos to edit.  So many photo sessions scheduled, so much homework to help the boys with, so much work to do at school, so much mess to clean.  I feel like it will never get tackled.

2.  I love my Dad.  I do.  I love him for everything that he does for us and our family.  I love him for how good he is to my boys.  I spent the day chit-chatting about him...Good Ol Clark.  That man is a gem I tell you.  A real gem.  I am who I am today because of him.

3.  I love my friends.  I love them so much.  My dear friends that I have known my entire life.  They love me.  They get me.  They read my blog and tell me how much they love to hear me type.  We are separated by many miles, but they get to hear me through my writing.  I love how I can laugh with them.  I love that I can tell them things I tell no one else.  They are a soft place to land when I am feeling low, even if they are forcing me to read The Life of Pi.

4.  A lot of people tell me I should write a book about my life.  They find my life amusing.  Maybe I should.  I am really considering it.  I just don't know where to start.  Writing a whole novel with hundreds of pages is actually intimidating.  And for really and truly, things haven't always been peaches and cream around here.  I am trying to bridge that gap.  What if I write a book, and it makes it big?  That is a huge long shot in many ways.  One that I actually write it.  Two, that people would actually want to read it.  There are things that would have to be explained.

5.  I seriously lost it the other day.  I did.  My kids fight ALL THE TIME!  ALL THE TIME!  I deal with children 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  I am a teacher.  All day long I deal with 24 first graders.  The other 16 1/2 hours, I deal with my own personal three.  I am so tired.  If you're not a teacher, then you don't get it.  I don't get adult conversation during the day.  I have thirty minutes for lunch.  I cram my food down my throat as fast as I can.  I don't get to use the bathroom unless someone can cover my class.  I can't answer my phone or text my friends unless I take the chance of being written up.  I don't get to make Dr.s appointments at my convenience.  When my family calls, I can't answer unless I am willing to take a chance of being written up.  I can't sit at my computer and check my email.  Again that whole write up thing.  I hear children tattle all day long.  I have one of the hardest students I've ever had in 11 years of teaching.  I love that kid.  I do, but even I wear out.  I NEVER get time to myself.  Erik has opposite days off as me.  My Monday is his Friday.  His Friday is my Monday.  He gets days to himself.  Why can't I?  My days off, I deal with the kids.  We took a day off together, and instead of doing what I wanted, I felt pressure to please him.  Why must mother's always be the ones who have to deal ALL the time?  I actually ran away.  I ran away from my house.  I left.  I turned my phone off, and I took a little break.  My break consisted of one whole beer at Cattle Baron.  And then sitting in my car and listening to SILENCE.  No noise.  It was so peaceful.  I need more peaceful days where I don't have to meet anyone's expectations but my own.  And I don't want to be a disappointment to anyone.  I feel like I always have to be the strong one.  If I'm not then I get punished with not knowing things, with people not confiding in me.  I am a delicate flower, but I'm not a delicate flower.   I am always the person I was.  I just have to find me.

Gardening 101

 
Disclaimer #1:  I am no gardening expert...In fact, this summer my garden was less than abundant.  That is putting it nicely, to myself.
Disclaimer #2:  These onions look much larger in the photo than in actual life.
Disclaimer #3:  I can't upload any photos since updating my phone to IOS6.  Otherwise I would have included more pics.

So, I thought, I could share a few gardening tips with my dear readers.  I am planning on keeping a year round garden this year.  We have a garden every year, but we usually end it in the fall.  I have brought up composting and gardening in a post or two before.  I thought, however, I could keep you up to speed with what I'm doing now...besides trying to avoid West Nile and end up in the hospital.  I kid...sort of.

So currently, I have only a few things growing in my garden...tomatoes, okra, black beans, asparagus, and pumpkins.  I am currently gathering my fall planting list, which I will post in a follow up post.  So far it includes:  onions, garlic, shallots, spinach.

When I conclude my final list, I will  post it, and share my planting tips.  Hopefully I will be able to upload photos.  In the meantime, if anyone has questions you can post in the comments and I will answer them

The Fever Series

I started this series about a week ago, or so?  I got a free sample from iBooks.  It was so good that I could not stop myself from buying the entire 5 book bundle.  I am currently on Book 4 of 5.  The general gist of the story is that "Mac" Lane heads to Dublin, Ireland after her sister is brutally murdered.  Once there she discovers that she is a sidhe seer...one who can see the fae.  Our world collides with the fairy world and Mac must save the human species from annihilation.  The characters in these novels keep you guessing, and the story is very interesting.  I recommend this series one hundred percent.

FYI...my reading list

I updated my "What I'm Reading Page."  You will find tons of book recommendations on this page.  I will try to update as often as possible.

Fun, fun, fun...weekend fun.

*****Note, I was supposed to publish this post last week but didn't get a chance.  So this is one week behind.*******

 I have to tell you that this weekend I had an AWESOME time.  It was just what I needed.  Me and my bestie, Choalcie Goats (not her actual name but one given to her by a horrible, horrible sub in Geometry our freshman year...fyi I was Maria Ashbag.  The man was an actual ROCKET SCIENTIST, this is not a joke so I don't see why he couldn't get our names right.) had a night out.  There is no one in this world that I have more fun with.  NO ONE!  That lady and I had a great time.  I could not stop smiling Sunday, or Monday, the glee carried over.  How else can you explain nick naming people...Long Hair, Criminal, and Ray Liotta, plus also counting the security guard's laps around the bar?  And did I actually tell you that together we are the most interesting man in the world?  This may not sound hilarious to you, but to us it was so funny our cheeks ached.  This is what it means to have friends you love.  Friends that have been there forever and will be there, no matter what.  But I have to tell you that after Choalcie dropped me off at 2 am that I had a very rude awakening.  It is called "Murphy's Law of Parenting."  Here is a direct quote from my Facebook page.

"Murphy's Law of Parenting states that if you go out until 2 am for a much needed girls night you will awake early to the news that your youngest child clogged the toilet and let the water flood the entire bathroom. At that same instant your cat will bring in a live bird which will fly all over their bedroom, and your husband will have mud on his boots which he will track all over your house."


I should mention that I actually did call Erik and that he was in a foot pursuit and that is why his boots were covered in mud.  I should also say that the rugs in the bathroom weighed about 10 lbs because the handle wasn't lifted all the way up so the water continued to pour out of the toilet.  Erik really did track mud EVERYWHERE.  And later that evening I made gumbo (Our Port Aransas Shrimp).  I stabbed my hands with shrimp tails while decapitating them...quite painful to me...pretty sure the shrimp didn't feel a thing, but I can't feel that bad since we actually ate the stabbers.  Then we watched the Bronco game, and I texted my Daddy.  All was right in this world.  Oh wait, the cat brought in another bird sometime in the evening.  So while we're watching the game we hear more screaming.  My mom, who is terrified of birds, ran out the door.  Wolfie and Maddie captured the bird and took it outside all by themselves.  My boys are growing up.
And really the whole moral of the story is thank goodness for wonderful, beautiful, funny friends and Dad's who are always serious, and also cats who add to the adventure of life...

Memory Works Fall Catalog

The new catalog is out an you can go here to view it online.  If you wish to place an order you can message me at mariahashbaugh@hotmaildotcom.  I no longer have my website, but I can place the order for you.  Check out the catalog, there is a lot of cute stuff in it!

Remembrance

Remembering...It's been eleven years.  I guess what I find ironic is that as each year passes, it gets a little bit harder and a little bit sadder.  I'm not sure why.  9-11 was a horrendous day in this country's history.  My brother was in New York City when it happened.  He was there to hear the planes fly in and he was there when the buildings collapsed.  He saw the second tower fall.  9-11 is always a sad, sad day for me and my heart.  Last night, Erik and I were talking about a movie he watched the other day...Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.  I could not bring myself to watch it.  In fact he was talking about it and I burst into tears.  Loud sobbing tears.  I think it gets harder each year because my kids have no idea what it felt like that day (Thank, God), but it has completely changed their lives in ways they will never understand.  The repercussions of that day ring loudly when you go to the airport or when you think of the soldiers who have fought for us.  Those who have lost their lives, their limbs, or time away from their family.  Soldiers that I know and love.  Even now, we will be dealing with the Guantanamo Bay trials.  Above all of this, I do know that the United States is the best country in this world.  There is no place on Earth where you can grow up to be what you want to be if you work hard enough.  There is no place where freedom exists the way it does here.  And Republican or Democrat, we should all stand united.  We all should really, really stand united.  This is a time to remember what our Country stands for.  What is best for our Country.  Not what is best for us as individuals.  Be glad, count your blessings that most of us readers get to live here, work here, grow here, prosper here, live in freedom here, and be what we want to be here.  God Bless the souls we lost that day.  God Bless the souls that have carried on and continued.  And God Bless America.

Summer Fun/I Heart Faces

It's that time again...the I Heart Faces Photo Challenge for September is Summer Fun.  Carnivals are part of summer fun, especially when you are sweating in 100+ degree weather.  If that's not summer, I don't know what is :)  This picture was actually taken last year.  My dad loves to take the boys to the Chile Festival so he has an excuse to ride the rides.  Sorry, Dad, if I outed you.  Actually, I'm not because he is a kid at heart.  That is always a good thing.  If you want to see more entries or enter yourself, head on over to I Heart Faces.

Around and Around We Go

I have been so busy these last few days.  It's been so crazy around here.  And on top of all that fun, I have managed to get sick twice in the last ten days.  Yesterday was the worst.  I felt as though I got hit by a bus.  And of course wise me takes the boys to the Chile Festival where I stand in the 100 degree weather for several hours.  I carried along my five pound camera just for this shot of the boys on the Merry Go Round.  I am that dedicated to photography...ha.  Oh, and lets not forget that I left the compact flash/memory card in the car and had to walk all the way back to the car and search for it for ten minutes.  Man alive, it was hot yesterday.  When I got home, my throat hurt so bad I could cry.  And so today my house looks like a wreck...when doesn't it?  My kids are slobs.  But if we don't pick it up for one day, it gets out of control.  I will be scrambling frantically today to get it all picked up as we have company coming this evening.  It's a never ending cycle around here.  Well, I guess I'm off.  Erik is home for lunch so I guess I should spend some time with him.  Have a good day.

Heller...A Book recommendation

This is the first book in the Tilly Chalmers series.  Tilly is a struggling actress who winds up working for Heller Securities.  This first book is free for Nook at Barnes and Noble, so you should try it.  You have nothing to lose.  You can download the Nook app to your iPhone, or iPad, or other smart device.    I really love these books.  The characters are interesting and entertaining.  I've read all of the books in the series and am now waiting for the next book, Heller's Decision to come out.