Happy Birthday Aerica

11 years ago today I was blessed with this sweet spunky little girl. She's had a sparkle in her eye since the day she was born. I am loving (and sometimes hating) the new experiences that come with a pre-teen. She is helpful and smart and knows more about wildlife than anyone I know, except maybe Chad. I love her more everyday, Let me list some of my favorite things about Aerica.

She sings all the time
She is the tallest kid in her class.
She is 5ft 1 and doesn't trip the airbag in the front seat
She can laugh at herself
She is confident
She is kind
She looks just like her dad

I love you Aerica! If you have a something you like about this amazing girl, feel free to share!!

Lessons in Life

I recently reconnected with a good friend of mine, as I was looking through her blog I came upon her posting entitled "Lessons in Life". She had read recieved an email with 50 lessons in life and had taken her favorite 20 and posted them. I loved this post and with her permission decided to post the 20 she singled out. Here they are, along with the 21st that I got from my Mom as we were discussing this topic. Thanks Angie! I would love to get some comments back of any good "lessons in life" anyone has!
1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
3. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
4. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
5. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special!
6. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
7. Always choose life.
8. Forgive everyone, everything.
9. What other people think of you is none of your business.
10. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
11. Believe in miracles.
12. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
13. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
14. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.
15. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
16. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
19. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
20. The best is yet to come.
21. Those that mind, don't matter; and those that matter, don't mind.

Let's hear yours!

The Great Eight

I have been tagged by my friend and coworker Rachelle, so here it goes.

8 T.V. Shows I watch...
1. Raising the Bar (New TNT series, love it!)
2. Law and Order
3. CSI
4. Cold Case
5. Without a Trace
6. Wife Swap
7. One Tree Hill (pathetic I know)
8. 90210, the new one (Hard to admit, but what can I say?)

8 Favorite Restaurants...
1. Cafe Rio
2. My husbands grilling (does that count?)
3. Applebee's
4. Outback
5. Chinese buffet (there's a few I like)
6. Bleak's bar and grill ( miss this one!)
7. FuddRuckers
8. Dairy Queen (white trash, I know)

8 Things that happened yesterday...
1. Got home from work at 0530 am
2. Slept
3. Parent-Teacher Conferences, yikes!
4. Pre trick or treat nap with all 3 of my kids on the king size bed, it was the best
5. Costume time
6. Trunk or Treat at the Mona Church
7. Trick or Treat all around the neighborhood
8. Went to work for ER night shift

8 things I look forward to...
1. Next Halloween, I know, I'm a freak
2. Basketball season starting
3. Basketball season ending
4. Family Time!
5. Spending more time with my Mom and Dad and sisters now that we live closer
6. Sewing and quilting for the holidays
7. Christmas shopping
8. Family time

8 things on my wish list...
1. Happiness for everyone
2. Successful basketball season for Chad
3. Successful basketball season for my Dad
4. More quality time with loved ones
5. Expanding my family
6. Less stress
7. More dropping of interest rates!!
8. Higher pay for teachers, yeah right

8 Words or phrases I use all the time...
1.Seriously
2. Freak or freakin' (gotta work on this one)
3. You are kidding
4. Apparently...
5. Stop that!
6. I'm serious, you better stop that!
7. Hey
8. I need a diet coke like now!

8 people I tagged...
1. Jen
2. Mindy
3. Kellie
4. Cassie
5. Holli
6. Missy
7. Anna