Time flies!!!

I can't believe it's almost the end of October and the year is almost over. Soon we will be busy with the holidays with Turkey day and Christmas. But first, we have to find pumpkins which aren't 8 bucks!!!! I can't believe how high the prices are for those little boogers!!!! We need to find some since we HAVE to carve them and roast pumpkin seeds, right!!!

It has been a busy week to say the least. School, work, kids, etc, etc. I love life. It's good cause it keeps me sane. I fully processed into work and settled so that's good. Collected and spent my very first paycheck at said new job. Our goal is to pay off some small debt while we are here which won't take very long at this pace. You know; little student loans, furniture, Bran's truck, a bit of a credit card bill and then straight into building the savings account back up and save for vacation.

We are planning a 7 night trip to...you know Walt Disney World in June 2011 and a cruise on the new Disney Cruise ship in 2012 for 7 nights. I love vacation and live by it almost everyday. I keep an island pic with blue Caribbean pic on my desktop at work, drag around my many Disney bags, drink from my Castaway Cay coffee mug, wear my Disney Cruise line lanyard with my work ID and have Disney characters on my Crocs. Yes, you can say I'm addicted.

My kitchen is slowly transforming into a black and red Mickey themed kitchen. I have all black kitchen utensils, just bought some much needed red pots and pans, have red and black rugs and hand cloths and just need to put some Disney paraphernalia on the tops of the Cupboards. It will looks nice especially since housing decided to outfit the kitchen with black appliances!!! Perfect fit!! Went from rooster to Mickey in a flash!!!! I have had roosters in my kitchen for the past 9 years and it's time for a change. Just after I bought my first rooster items, my nephew was flogged by a rooster and he lost on of his baby front teeth. Did I ever get hell from the kids for that because I decided to keep with the rooster theme since I had already invested money in it!!!

I love Disney because it takes all the guess work out of vacationing. As a mother, I don't worry about meals, laundry, entertainment and so on. The beds are always made, the bathrooms cleaned, the meals are the best and too bad it's only for a week every year. UGH. I want Disney 24/7, but that's hard to keep up with on my own!!!

Cruising is the ultimate since I don't have to do anything but show up and have a good time. 'Oh, you are hungry?' go hit the buffet or get pizza/hot dogs/hamburgers/salads...etc. 'Oh, you are bored??' go see a movie/catch a character/hit the pool/go to the game room/sit on the veranda/ etc, etc. 'Oh, you are tired??' take a nap in the room/nap on the lounge chairs on the top deck/ nap in a lounge chair next to pool and listen to live island music!!!! It's nice.

Glad I work my fanny off all year for that little piece of luxury!!! We deserve it!!

So, now that I off subject...I don't know whether to send out Christmas cards or not. Every year I send out about 60 but only receive 20 from the SAME people!!! What's up with that anyway!!??? Oh well. At least they know I think of them and read our little 'sum it up in a year' letter and a pic of us!!

Til next time....weez

No NanoWriMo writer's block

So I signed up for NanoWriMo this year and I'm not even a writer let alone a reader. I like to read non-fiction. I like biographies and real material. It came to me this morning while in that foggy asleep yet mindful of my surroundings point of the morning where I'm cuddled in bed with my dog and husband. Note how I put the dog first. Just kidding. She is my bedmate though when the hubby is out on Army duties.

My novel is going to be a mix of fiction and non-fiction with real characters, in a real setting but with a non-fiction twist that I wish could really be true. For privacy reasons I may change some of my characters names to protect them, but their stories and lives have touched me so deeply.

I'd like to thank first and foremost Tammy and Deanne for being my motivation for undertaking such an endeavor as this as I really haven't ever put such a demand on myself. Sure, I joined the Army and that was demanding. I'm married and that's demanding. I'm a mother and Lord knows that's demanding, but this is something that I have never even contemplated doing EVER in my life. Never thought of myself as a writer but have thought of writing a series of children's books when I'm older just to see if I could do it.

Next a thank you to Kat for the inspiration in my thoughts on what the main point of my novel will revolve around....a telephone. Kat, don't give it away!!!!

Thanks to Matt for supporting me in this and for the evenings I will be spending writing while laying in bed while you are watching your numerous TV shows. I am always 'checked out' anyway, so I may as well write.

I hope everyone enjoys the final product and I am looking forward to taking on this endeavor!! Pray I have patience and order as I don't even know where to start or even what to title the novel, but thoughts are swirling so that's a good sign, right????

Until later....write, write, write!!!

Glad to be back to work!!!

I am really glad to be back to work!! It's going good and smooth with the exception of inprocessing which is never easy or fun!!! But, hey...I'm getting paid either way.

Matt is home and that is great. He has been so helpful around the house while on leave and needs a break to just breathe from his work demands. It's nice having a man's touch on things around here. He has dug me out of the technical hole I always fall into when he's out. I swear I would have an old black and white TV with rabbit ears and tinfoil, an old home (corded) phone, and no internet. I really would. That's his part of this marriage contract. To keep up with all the electronic stuff here and I take care mostly the rest. Fair to me since I just don't like the kinks with that stuff!!

Bran is busy job hunting and hopefully will have a job soon so she can start saving money!!! She has a great boyfriend and he's become a main staple at the Swingholm casa. It's nice since she hasn't ever brought/had a boyfriend come over EVER!!!!! He's a great guy too!! Works hard, going to night school and has great future plans with the Department of Homeland Security!!!!

MQS is doing well in school and still hates the uniform. Can't say I blame her but it's nice not having to figure out what to wear in the morning. Shaves time off our morning routine!!! YAY me!! We need to figure out a solution to her bag situation though since she is carrying a heavy shoulder bag and she is too small!!