I'm sick, again. Yes, again. I swear the universe hates me. Since I'm confined to bed today, I thought I'd post some of the pictures that I've taken over the past couple of months. So here we go..things that I love and some of the things that keep me going..


This is Jim's cat ...aka my cat..Ordie.


Good food! This is from a great place in the NWA terminal of Detroit Metro.


Having my nails done. I can never afford to have someone else do them, but I'm becoming more and more girly every day. I think I now own like 10 bottles of nail polish!


Ben-jammin. My oldest, my miracle baby.


My future scrapbooker and photographer - Roger..aka mommy's Rogeyman.


Dominic Nathaniel - My sweetie pie..I'm gonna steal this kid.


Christmas - Family - Traditions - All things I love.

So how did everyone do on their bathroom challenge? I have to say that I am darned proud of myself. I had a frantic week at school and still managed to get mine done! Did I mention that I just finished posting an entire grocery bag full of items onto freecycle? Wow! I had no idea that I would find that much in that little bathroom to get rid of. This sure will make packing a whole lot simpler. I also realized that I have no less..and I'm almost embarassed to say this...no less than 10 or 12 different bottles of body wash in my shower. And nope, I'm not freecycling those. Those will get used up. I've organized (or I'm working on it!) my bathtub/shower so that I have all the brand new never opened bottles on one end and all the opened bottles on the other. Now, I'm going to work my way through all those partial bottles til they're gone and my reward will be brand new super yummy smelling bottles! Yay, me!

Now...this week's challenge. Are you ready for this? Cookbooks. Yep, the next room in my declutter challenge (for myself..and I hope for you!) is the kitchen. I only have 4 rooms in my place so I'm starting at one end and moving towards the other. So, how many cookbooks do you have? How many do you actually use? Are you a user or a collector? Now don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with collecting as long as you really enjoy them. For me, I have a small bookshelf full of cookbooks and cooking magazines. I went through these when I got divorced so I don't think I'll be getting rid of many, but you never know! Plus, for me, I know I won't be using all of these in the next few months so I'm going to sort mine into 2 piles. Pack and Use. Those that I won't use in the next few months (because let's face it, I only cook for me and I'm pretty easy to please), I'm going to pack into a box, label that box and set it aside.

Anyone with me on this one? Let me know. Drop me a comment below and keep me updated on your progress. :)

I want to semi-apologize for my last post. I don't think it came out the way I had wanted it to. It seems that when other's read it, they thought I was having issues with just this group that I belong to. That's not the case at all. I meant for that post to be about my issues that I have with making friends. I wanted it to be about my own fears and how I'm having a hard time getting past those to open up to others. The women in that group are totally fantastic and really are wonderful about supporting each other and me. One of them, after I poured my heart out to them on all of this was kind enough to contact me off group and just tell me that she was proud of me for putting myself out there. The problem isn't these women, the problem is me. I'm great at meeting people..heck, some of you have met me via your blogs, etc and probably think I'm super friendly etc..and I am. The problem comes that once I meet someone, I'm afraid to follow up with them. I go through this whole "well if they really liked me, they'd contact me and since they haven't, they clearly didn't" thing. I'm afraid to take that first step because what if they say no or what if they think I'm being too pushy, etc.

So to the girls in that group who read that post and were hurt, I really am sorry. It didn't come out in the way that I intended. Monkey's Momma..thank you for posting your support here. I'm looking forward to that list and I might even be brave and check some of them out. As Corinna has reminded me, sometimes it's all about "Doing it afraid."

I had something happen to me yesterday/today on a group that I belong to. I posted something as a joke..just a how come you guys don't ooh and ahh over pics and stuff of my kids like you do the others..and got told I'm being too sensitive. Ok, it totally wasn't meant like that and their response made me cry..but in that, I guess it was time to do some thinking.

Am I sensitive? Yeah..super sensitive. I've been hurt so many times in my life that it's made me scared. I'm terrified of opening myself up to these women because it would be so easy for them to hurt me, sometimes they already do without even knowing it. I don't want them to know that sometimes they make me cry because if they knew, it would give them power over me.

A little while back, I basically disappeared from the group and only one person got in touch with me to make sure I was ok. When I apologized to the group, they all pretty much said no big deal, which to me said they didn't really care if I was there or not. That might not be the case, but that's how it felt. I've been back with this group of women for a year or so now and I still feel like an outsider.

I promised myself that this year was going to be about trying to nurture friendships and to actually have some real friends, but the truth is that I'm afraid. Every time I start to open up to these women, some comment is made and I get hurt and close right back up. I'm afraid of being hurt. I'm so afraid that if I let these women know the truth about me, that instead of accepting me like they have one another, they'll tell me I'm too sensitive and reject me.

I don't have many friends..maybe only 3. One of them I haven't heard much from lately and honestly, part of me is scared that she doesn't want to be my friend anymore. I know how wonderful she is and how people seem to just adore her. Honestly, I'm pretty surprised that she's my friend at all.

Anyway, that's enough of me crying here. Life must go on and I have a cheesecake to go buy for class.

Happy Birthday, to my baby! It's hard to believe that 8 years ago today, I was in the hospital being induced for this guy. After dilating, going backwards and getting there again and a mere 20 minutes of pushing (yes, you can be envious but after the pregnancies "easy deliveries" are good), Pirate Roger came into the world. Most kids come out crying. According to my Doctor, Roger sounded like a pirate. My 9lb 9.5oz 38 weeker is 8 years old now. 8 years old, 2nd grade...man, they grow up so fast! Mommy misses you buddy, but I sure hope you and your brother like your present when it gets there.

Yes, yes, I am finally back! I know it's been ages, but I was out of town for a good chunk of that. I spent a pretty nice three weeks in Michigan with my family. It was so wonderful to have my boys with me again and to play Aunt Trina to 4 really great kids. After that, I had a fantabulous time in Milwaukee with one of my favorite yay me friends, Jim. We hung out, did some shopping, caught up on Season 1 of Survivor (we're working our way through the series together -- note to the movie fairy, we need Season 2!), ate soo much yummy food (we're really good at that!) and went to see Happy Days - the Musical.

From there, I kinda crashed. I admit it. I had a few things happen and it dropped me down. I'm better now though and I decided it was time to get back to our Sunday challenges. Are any of you still out there and wanting to do these? I hope so. I much prefer to do them with friends.

So...what's the challenge this week? Bathrooms!

As some of you know, I'm planning on moving back to Michigan once I graduate in May and as part of that process, I'm clearing stuff out so that I don't have to pack it. So, this week's challenge is to go into your bathroom and open up those drawers and cupboards and cabinets. Once you've done that, go through and get rid of anything expired (please make sure you check online to find the best way to dispose of chemicals and medicines). Then, go through the rest of it and sort it into keep and get rid of piles. If the stuff in the get rid of pile is worth it, list it on freecycle (www.freecycle.org for those of you who have forgotten). If it's not, dump it into the trash. Now, take what you're keeping and put it away all neat and tidy like.

There you go! By the end of the week, your bathrooms should be nice and tidy. I'd love to see before/after pics! Make sure you leave a comment letting me know how you do!