Twinkle Toes

Does anyone ever walk into the shoe department of a store and swear that they hear angels singing? No? Well, I do. It doesn’t even have to be a shoe department, it could be one of those silly little things in the middle of the mall labeled “Flip Flop Mania” and I would still feel a magnetic pull. It is a strange sickness that I have; this need to stop and try on shoes and the fact that I will most likely end up buying a pair. It could be anything from a pair of red stilettos (hey, a girl has to ring in her 30th birthday with a bang…and what says it better than red CFM shoes) to a pair of black, no heel, mary janes. I would rather spend my last dollar on a pair of great shoes than to use it on something that is actually needed like, let’s say, hygiene products. My thought is, “hey they aren’t looking at my greasy rats nest of a hairdo, because all they are looking at are my sexy shoes!” “Yah…you know you want me.”

Anyway, I was out on the town this past weekend and one of my girlfriends had on a pair of shoes that were similar in color to the ones I was wearing. You might call it pewter. This friend o’ mine has an even worse shoe fetish than I. She usually goes for the shiny eye popping baubles that come attached to the shoes along with bold and magnifying colors. However, on this night it was subdued, shiny, but subdued! So…I had to snap up a picture of me and my shoe lovin’ pal in our sexy sling backs. Enjoy, and drool all you want!

Lazy Afternoons

I am not normally someone who is struck by the beauty of a cloud spotted sky, but on this particular day I was. I was driving down a pretty quiet road in a part of Omaha that is not quite developed yet, when I had this sense of complete calm. It was strange, and it only lasted a moment, but I quickly dug out my camera from my purse and took a couple of snapshots as I was driving. I wanted so badly to preserve the feeling. I wish I took the time to really enjoy the peaceful and clear glimpses of pure delight that we are given in nature, but instead; I am too busy getting somewhere for an appointment, on my cell phone chattering about the latest gossip, catching up on last minute homework, doing laundry, cleaning the house, or whatever it is that always seems to take precedence. I don’t remember where I was driving on this day, but I wish that I would have spent it as a lazy afternoon under these big, white, puffy clouds. Maybe next time!

Freakity Freaky!

OMG...Sometimes the complete and total correctness of what is written in the stars boggles my mind! I was doing a little research on my astrological sign when I came across "Libra--Karmic Life Lesson." This peaked my interest as I completely and truly believe in Karma and the saying "what goes around comes around." I have to say...I am a little freaked out about how on the money this projection is! If you didn't know me, this would explain it all:

Ruled by lovely Venus, Libra is all about sweetness and romance, art and beauty, balance and charm. As the Sign of the Scales, one of Libra's great concerns is justice and equality, but this Sign may be even more concerned with partnerships. Friendships and romance feed Libra's soul; a social butterfly (and always a delightful host), Libra hardly ever finds itself without a lover. Those born under its influence truly prefer togetherness to being alone and tend to feel distinctly uncomfortable when single. They even have a hard time when they simply find themselves on their own for an evening without companionship. This marks Libra's greatest Karmic task: To stop looking to others to fill the perceived empty parts of the soul. Librans truly believe they're better off with others' constant support and companionship, and in many ways they're right: Team efforts can often get much more done than an individual, and an evening out with friends can be more fun than spending it home alone. It's the driving need for support and reassurance behind the urge for companionship, however, that is Libra's puzzle to solve.

Librans simply haven't learned -- or don't trust -- that their souls are complete as is. They don't need to rely on others for support; they have themselves. However, they often don't realize this and instead commit lots of energy to seeking and securing others' approval. The trouble is, seeking approval can actually be considered a procrastination device. It can certainly inhibit progress if the approval sought isn't found. As a Cardinal Sign, Libra has lots of energy to start new projects and get things going, but its commitment not to proceed until everyone is working together smoothly is unrealistic and may be the very thing that stops the project completely. Libra needs to realize that not everyone can, will or even should get along all the time; when dissenting opinions make tempers flare, Libra would do well to push ahead, even if that has to happen alone.

Differences of opinion and arguments can be very difficult for diplomatic Libra to handle. When disagreements occur, Librans tend to react in several different ways: They might become indecisive, refusing to take a stand as that would be akin to taking sides. Alternatively, some Librans will use their natural charisma to try to charm others into "good behavior." This is fine -- to a point. Sometimes Librans take their yen for harmony so far they're willing to lie or manipulate just to keep things running smoothly. In the end, of course, this kind of behavior rarely pays off; in fact, it may only further upset that balance that Libra is trying so hard to find. But why place so much important on balance in the first place? It's impossible to make everyone happy and one could use up a lot of energy trying, and all in vain.

Libra must learn that keeping everyone happy isn't the most important thing in life. Furthermore, others' approval is fickle and not to be counted on; Libra would do well to realize that when getting too caught up in wanting to be liked by all. Libra can learn from Aries's brash approach to life about placing less importance on outside opinion. Libra can look to emotional Cancer to learn how to confront feelings, even when they're frightening or uncomfortable. And Capricorn can teach Libra the importance and success of hard work done solo, carried over the long-term.

Holy cow! Check out your own Karmic Life Lessons at: http://karma.astrology.com/ It is very fun and a little disturbing!

Hooked

So, I came across this article today that read, "What keeps a guy hooked on you for life? Guys share nine things that make a man all yours forever -- no doubts, no straying, no pulling a Spitzer."

1. Her Drive
2. The Look
3. Our Conversation
4. Her Libido
5. The fact that we'll never be together -
(apparently being married hooks some guys...I don'tget it)
6. Her Hips
7. How she sighs in bed
8. Silence -
(as in, she does not need to fill in the silence with useless chatter at all moments of the day)
9. Her Cooking

Okay...can I just say that this list sucks. Seriously!

Fifty Three Years of Wedded Bliss…or Something Like That

One of my favorite stories about my parents was how they met. My dad had just returned from serving his country during the Korean War in July of 1954. Grandma Zach made mention that my aunt Hilde had some nice looking sisters. This was her simple way of saying that she thought her youngest son should meet them. My dad went to a dance at King’s ballroom in Norfolk, Nebraska on August 24th, 1954 where his life was forever changed. At some point during their dating, grandma decided to mention that Adela wasn’t the one she had in mind! Regardless of that fact, my mother received a ring on Christmas day only four months after she had met dad. Five months later on May 24th of 1955 they were married at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Osmond Nebraska.

They left on their honeymoon to Chicago, visiting dad’s sister Agnes and her husband Jim. During this trip the above picture was taken. Mom in her saddle shoes and all! It is crazy how much dad has remained the same. A little more meat on his bones, some gray hair, and a few wrinkles, but he still has that same funny “swoop” in his hair, that great big smile, and the twinkle in his eyes! Although mom may have gotten married as a sweet and gentle girl at the age of twenty; she turned into a strong, willful, and independent woman. To put it mildly, she is a force to be reckoned with!

Almost a year to the day later they had their first child, a son they named Benedict, on May 25th, 1956. Up until the year of 1977, they would have twelve more children….eight boys and four girls. I know that I see things differently than how my older siblings remember their childhood, but I know that each one of us would say that we have been blessed. I am constantly amazed to think about the many sacrifices that our parents made and would continue to make for their children. The list would be un-ending and I could not begin to do justice in explaining this list in a way that they deserve. So…I just wanted to post a little something as a show of gratitude to a couple of remarkable people that I call mom and dad!

Happy Belated Anniversary!

Is she Sporting a Halo?

So, I decided to change the title of my blog. The original one was true but not all that fitting for my personality. It was also something that I came up with on a whim so that I could join the blogging world. After receiving an email from a very sweet acquaintance turned friend today, I had something to ponder. In the email she stated, “I just thought it was sweet and cute to find someone so wholesome.......I love that you blush at talking about vibrators.” Over and over again I hear how sweet, wholesome, pure, moral, blah, blah, and blah, I am. I will admit that the small town environment that I grew up in along with the lack of important discussions that one would hope to have with their parents did not prepare me for the big bad world I was about to discover. I feel indebted to my parents, family, friends and community in which I grew up. Although we did not discuss sex, drugs, partying, and countless other taboo issues, they did prepare me to make good decisions. They taught me the difference between right and wrong, the significance of the all important golden rule, and respect.

I don’t deny that I am the all American “good girl,” but I can cuss better than any sailor, say hurtful things that I don’t mean when I am angry, miss mass more than occasionally, and gossip with the best of you. Do I blush when talking about vibrators? Sure. I blush when I am introduced to a cute boy, or learning about the term “camel toe.” I don’t know why I am this way, especially since I grew up around eight rambunctious boys and three older sisters. The fact remains that I am. Heck, what can I say, I was sheltered. I just learned what a roofie was. I am 30! So…for all you people out there who truly can’t or don’t believe that there are still people out there who have not been corrupted by today’s society; well, you can kiss my ass!

That’s what Families are for

Wasn’t it just yesterday that I was changing their diapers, feeding them mashed peas, and rocking them to sleep? I am not so sure where the time has gone, but I know this; my nieces have been growing into beautiful young adults! I feel assured that they still consider me cool enough to want to hang out with. I also know that my status as one of their fun aunts takes second place to their peers and the social life that accompanies it. I am not saddened by this fact so much as I am mindful of what it was like for me during their same age. I dare not think about that, as it is sure to cause me some gray hairs! I find it quite entertaining to listen to the conversational rapport between these girls during the opportunities where we find ourselves together. As is normal, talk most often revolves around boys. Once that becomes mundane, schemes are often thought up on how to pull one over on someone special! No longer are they continuously asking me “Wwhy are you drying your hair? Why don’t you want it wet? Why don’t you want to get sick?” type questions, they are instead asking me questions like “Have you ever tried smoking? How old were you? Where were you at? Did it make you sick?” Gone are the literal minds of their youth, and in its place are the questioning thoughts of self discovery. They may choose to hobnob with others, but when they are hurt, when they want to talk, when they want to celebrate, when they want to gloat, when they want to cry, or when they just want someone who they know cares about them…they will always have me. They will always have this family.