Dear Brett Farve and Randy Moss;

I would have liked it if the two of you would have co-ordinated coming to Minnesota together this year. You see, even though I'm a Viking fan, Brett Farve...You have *always* been my Football Quarterback Crush. How many times were the Packers loosing by a field goal or a touch down and the winning team (usually the Vikes) gave you just over a minute left on the clock? And do you know what I screamed at the tv every time? "YOU SCORED TOO EARLY! YOU IDIOTS! YOU CAN *NOT* GIVE BRETT FARVE THAT MUCH TIME!" Brett Farve, you might just be the perfect 'Minute Man'.

..and as far as receivers go: Randy Moss all the way baby! The jump, the toe scrape to stay in-bound, the freaky speed, the hands, the hanging of the gloves from his face-mask, the hair, how can you go wrong with corn-rows or the afro?! (Can we just forget about the slightly bad behavior?) I will always *heart* you Randy Moss...

So, I know it's too late for this year, but I know Brett ain't done playing and Randy deserves a real quarterback, an awesome defense, and fantastic offensive line, plus a few other 'stars' to take the heat off. So, whatdaya say boys, next year?

Ho Hum

That's how I'm feeling about my blog layout. HO FREAKING HUM. It's not at all how I would like it to look. It actually makes me sad to log onto my blog, seeing the dreary colors and sadness of how it all looks. Today I was blessed by a friend who said, "Hey, want me to help you with the look of your blog?"

"HELLZ YES!", is what I said!

The part of this story that gets me all bleary eyed and goose-bumped is that my friend and I had talked awhile back about doing some updates to my blog. BUT...Reality called and said we were both just *too* busy with life to take the time out for my silly little blog. Tonight my friend happened to bring it up again. It was as though she could feel that although I was writing again, there was a part of me that was still not in love with my blog. Isn't that what a friend is supposed to do? Look at what you are doing, support it, and help you if she can :)

Get yourselves ready for some updating and a little bling from the MFP and Friend!

Promises, Promises

Last week I promised myself that I would blog everyday for 30 days. I missed yesterday. I could tell you all the *reasons* why, but I don't think they really matter that much. I will tell you a few things I learned about myself yesterday.

1. I'm a night person. I have the most energy in the early evening and at night. I feel my most creative then. I like to write then.

2. I will need to plan ahead if I know I'm going to be busy in the evening and get my blog out earlier in the day. Or be okay with writing while entertaining? (no.)

3. I have a lot of insecurities. I want to know of the people who came over last night had a good time. Did they like me? Did they like my house? Do they like my husband? Do their husbands like us? Will they come back? And what if they didn't like it so much? Are they gonna say, "Dude, that sucked. You're okay, but really....that sucked."

4. Even though I have insecurities about entertaining....I love it! I love having people over. I like cooking for them and chatting and playing games. I have little-to-none in the social graces department, but oh well....home sweet home!

Black Friday

Growing up, Black Friday had always been a very thrilling day for me. My mother and I would scour the ads and plan our attack. We'd get up before dawn and gather with the other shoppers, taking advantage of sale prices and grab bags. After all the deals were snagged, we'd stop for lunch and then drag our weary bodies back home.

I quit going shopping with my mom on Black Friday many years ago. She had been making choices in her life that were destructive. I needed to limit my contact with her to only phone calls and a few person to person visits each year. Unfortunately she ended up really blowing it. Her behavior made it no longer safe for me, or any of my family, to have contact with her. With this loss of my mother, I lost many things, including the fun, and excitement of Black Friday.

This year I re-claimed it. Black Friday was mine. Granted I fell asleep about an hour before I wanted to head out the door, but my step-daughter (aka The Artist) woke me up about 10 minutes before I wanted to leave anyways.

Me: running my fingers through my hair, throwing on my glasses, and collecting my purse.
The Artist: wanting to take a shower, grabbing clean clothes, and putting on make-up.
Me: "We're leaving in 5 minutes."
The Artist: "Dang girl, you get ready fast!"
Me: "It's shopping spree, not a fashion show."

And out the door we go! This was The Artist's first time going out on Black Friday. As we traveled down the deserted streets at 4:30 in the morning she says, "hmmmph. Are we the *only* ones out shopping? I thought there would be more people then just us."

I smiled a silent smile and continued our journey to our first destination: Super Walmart. As we pulled into the shopping area, the look on her face was priceless. Her eyes were wide with excitement and terror. Her jaw dropped with shock. We stared into a parking lot completely full of cars...I say to her, "I guess we're not the only ones." And our journey of re-claiming Black Friday has officially begun.

Thanksgiving

Thank you for:

being my friend.
all the times you have been there for me.
loving me, even in my darkest hours.
caring about me and supporting me, even through things you had not experienced with me.
helping me with my kids.
reminding me to slow down when I am physically pushing my body too far.
encouraging me to get off my arse during the times I have been too lazy.
wiping away my tears.
allowing me to cry.
making me laugh.
your compliments and your smiles.
stopping by my house and letting my dogs out.
making me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world.
your soft kisses.
all your hugs and back rubs.
painting my finger and toe nails.
dying my hair.
encouraging me to grow.
helping me clean my house.
getting me a re-fill.
not judging me for the things I do not have or where I have come from.
letting me be honest with myself.
working hard so I can stay home and raise our kids.
taking me out to lunch.
telling me that you like how I sing.
taking me out to dinner when I just can-not-cook-another-meal.
being the mother I never had.
being the grandparents my children deserve.
understanding when I have to cancel plans.
loving me even when I pull back.
chatting with me online during my bouts of insomnia.
laughing at my jokes.
coming to my house for party after party.
introducing me to fantastic food.
eating my cooking.
understanding "Kimberly Time".
sharing your lip-stuff.
providing me with cheese and Flackers.
telling me my *art* looks good.
wishing me a good "Thanksgiving?"


Thank you for being my husband, my sister, my children, my family, and my friends. I love you all and I am blessed that you are in my life.

30 Days

Someone once told me that a person can do anything for 30 days. So I've decided to put myself to the challenge. I am going on a 30 day blogging spree. I will guarantee you that some of these 30 Day posts will be ridiculously bad, but I have hopes that some of them will be really fantastic too!

I've been debating all day as to when to start the challenge. Do I start now, just a day or two before Thanksgiving, right in the midst of the Holiday ramp-up? Or do I wait until after the New Year begins? Well, I'm *me* and I don't have much for patience, so I decided to start today :)

Day one of the "30 Day Blogging Spree" has officially begun. If you are a fellow blogger and would like to join me in my efforts, feel free! We can support each other and stamp out writers block like good friends sizzling each others hair with aerosol hairspray and a curling iron. We may be a little frazzled at the end, but I'm certain we will enjoy the results :)

Headbands and High School

I have a friend who posted this on Facebook awhile back:

"Would you wear this? I'm going through a major headband stage. Too gaudy?"
(Headband)

Her Facebook friends then chimed in: It would have to be with the *right* outfit. I don't know if you can pull it off. and one even said, "Somehow I cannot see you in this headband." (even I posted, "I don't think I could get away with it.")

It got me thinking. Why on earth could I not get away with wearing this headband? I have black and red hair for Pete's sake! And why does my friend think she should ask others if she could do it? Of cousre she could wear it and she's look damn good in it too!

I think it's because as we grow up we are "given" our role in life. I felt that my role was the girl who just never quite fit in. I didn't feel like a total loser, but some how I just wasn't really well liked either. I never felt like I could just be myself and I don't even think I ever knew who I was. But, after thirty-some years I'm beginning to figure it all out.

Some parts of myself have been easy for me to figure out. For example, I like my hair better when it is longer then when it is shorter. I like to do funky things with my hair. I like to write. I like to cook. I love music and playing RockBand. I like art. I think I may even be a bit artistic. I also know that my perfect day would include making as many people smile on that day as humanly possible.

So my question to you is: What makes you tick? Have you found the person you really are or are you still searching? I'm still searching, but I think I have a fabby head start!

Battle On...

Right now I am battling with my weight. I have so much to loose and I feel the task is so big that I tend to do not much about it. Sure, I've been working out more over the past month or so. And sure I've eaten better more days then I've eaten like crap, but...I'm still gaining weight.

Today I figured out why. You see I'm sad. I'm sad about how I have let myself go. I'm sad that I have been gluttonous at so many meals. I'm disappointed in the quantity of shiraz, zinfandel, and merlot that have slipped effortlessly down my throat. Top those beautiful glasses of vino off with the rich, high caloric, abundant food I've been eating....and here I am.

In a mere six months I have gained over thirty pounds. What the hell?!?!? In a mere six months I have gone from running a 10k to not being able to walk comfortably after running 2.5 miles. I know that *part* of this is due to my ankle injury, but *most* of it is.....me.

My counselor and I have been talking about my weight and she has asked me, "What are you stuffing?" I keep telling her, "Nothing." You see everything in my life is really good right now. My husband and I have been able to re-build a relationship that I never dreamed possible. My kids are fantastic. Besides the occasional "What were you thinking?" of my teens, I don't have a lot to complain about. I have an amazing sister who makes me laugh and wipes away my tears. My group of friends are highly supportive, and loving.

But I'm sad. As I was journaling today it hit me. Within the first minute of writing, this is what I wrote:

"I am so sad. With myself. I hate hate hate the way I look and feel right now. I feel uncomfortable, so I keep eating and drinking to numb how crappy I feel."

You see, I need to stop ignoring what I have done to my body. I need to stop pretending that I am not thirty pounds heavier then I was this spring. I need to stop numbing myself and let myself actually feel. I have been stuffing my feelings about my body and it must stop.

(For those of you on my cheering squad: I'm really not looking for any "it's okay, you're still pretty" type stuff. I just wanted to share what I am learning. <3)