day 14: person I can't imagine my life without.

This is no big surprise. I knew when I started this challenge that Sid was going to dominate
alot of the days. I have had the last few years (since the stroke) to get a taste of my life without
him. In many ways I "lost" him the day he had the stroke. The man I married is still in there, but
changed in so many ways. I joke and tell people I got a "brand new" husband. I have grown to
know and love the new one so very much. And every so often I get a taste of the "old" husband.

day 13: my favorite artist

I Love Wy..there is something about her that I relate to. Not to mention, the phenomenal voice.  Love Her

Day 12: picture of something I love

day 11: picture of something I hate

Blech...I nearly gag just looking at the photo. I HATE peas.
you know how when you're a kid and your parents tell you if you don't finish your dinner you are going to get it for breakfast? or you are going to sit at the table until you finish your dinner. Well, I won this battle as a young toddler. after falling asleep at the table, and going 6 meals without eating the peas, they decided maybe I really didn't like them and shouldn't have to eat them. YA THINK?? still hate them.

day 10: picture of who I do my craziest things with

Cindy..we have been through alot over the years. Through the deaths of parents, births of grandchildren, illnesses. She is more than a friend. She is My Sister, truly a gift from God. I LOVE her and she loves me. We are the best of friends, and I cannot imagine my life without her in it.  When we get together we are like teenage girls, although we can act like grown-ups and do most of the time. I so cherish her and our friendship. Looking forward to our annual LadyBug campout. We'll be roughin it at the Red Lion. And doing a bit of our "crazy" stuff, which I will keep our "little secret" for now..

day 9: picture of who has gotten me through the most(how bout it ALL?)

Since I don't really have a photo of God, I used this poster of the names of God. There in NO ONE else that can go in this spot. As much as I love the people God has put in my life to help,share,rejoice,live,etc...with, He has been the constant. He has remained faithful, even when I have not. Oh that I would remain faithful. I LOVE JESUS!!

day 8: picture that makes me laugh

Sid & I on our 20th Anniversary at DisneyLand.
We Love to pose and make the pictures fun.
This is one of our favorites. Such a great time!

day 7: my most treasured item

Since I already did a post on my ring, I will share my 2nd most treasured item. I LOVE my car. I remember the first time I saw a mini. It was love at first sight. I was with Sid in Seattle back in 2000. We were walking and passed a place called Cosmopolitan Motors. It had Ferarris, and Corvettes, and other fancy cars. I saw the Mini, and was like, OH Look!! it is like a grown-up version of my Suzuki. At the time, I was driving a '96 Suzuki X-90. Which I also loved.
 Anyhoo, I began researching and watching and coveting the car. I even went as far as carrying a photo from motor trend of a Mini cooper S in my purse for 9 years. Well, life continued to happen and it appeared that my having this car was not going to happen. And believe me, I am very aware it is just a car. It has no ability to make me happy or make me a better person. I just Love driving it. I would also trade it and every other "thing" in my life to have conversations with my sweet Sidney. Well, after spending a few years paying off medical bills and other debt, we were left with a nice amount each month to manage a car payment. I saw this car and went and looked at it. I prayed and asked for God to SLAM the door if it was not His will for me to buy it. Well, you can see for yourself I got it. I got my very first(hopefully last) speeding ticket in this car. So, though I have many things, I would have to call this my most treasured item.

day 6: picture of person I'd love to trade places for a day

OK, I got super stuck on this one. I became paralyzed with the overanalyzation,(yes, this is now a word) that only a few can truly understand. I mean would it be like Freaky Friday and I would still be me but live as someone else? Would I remember what it was like to be them? Would they get to be me?
And, then all of those questions would determine my choices.
ARGHHH...and, I remembered. This is MY BLOG. There are NO RULES. I am not being graded on any of this. If I do it "wrong" what is the worst thing that will happen? You think reading this is confusing, try living inside my head..not a pretty sight. So I picked my sweet husband.

I often wonder what it is like for him. He can't tell me what it is like, and I can only assume.
So I would choose him, and I would really pay attention to how he feels, and what it's like to know what you want to say and be completely unable to get the words to come. To see if it hurts him like it hurts me to see people look at him with disgust because he doesn't remember it's bad manners to belch really loud in public.(he did it the other night at Starbucks. I proceeded to tell him "Good One! did ya get any on ya?") so that is my reason for choosing my Sidney, I really want to KNOW what a day in his body feels like.

day 5: picture of my favorite memory

are you kidding? I have spent nearly 30 years with someone that loves to surprise me. I have so many favorite memories it is impossible to pick just one.There is the day we got married.My first(2nd, 3rd, 4th..) trip to Disneyland,first kiss,first anything, buying my first car, bringing our Punkin home, births of Grandchildren,getting my teeth straightened, how can I possibly pick just one?? I cannot, so I am going to choose when I got my engagement ring.
The day Sid "proposed" was a Tuesday. July 15,1986. We had been living together  nearly 4 years. He says to me "well, I suppose if we are going to be together we oughta get married. How about Saturday?" I answered him, "OK. But I require a minister, no courthouse or justice of the peace." He said, "OK".
 We got matching bands that he picked out without my help or approval. I mentioned how I sometimes wished we had had a "real" wedding. That I had "missed out". No bridal shower, no wedding gifts, no bridesmaids or maid of honor. Heck I didn't even get an engagement ring.

fast forward 20 years.
I had stopped complaining about no wedding, or shower, or engagement ring...but he never forgot.
I had gained weight and needed to get my ring sized, so we took it in. They called me and told me it was ready and I could come pick it up.Well, we go in to pick it up and this is what they give me.

I FUHREAK out and say, "THIS IS NOT MY RING!!"
All I want is my wedding ring..The little gal behind the jewelry counter looks at me with a totally straight face and kinda like I am crazy and says, "yes, Ma'am, that is YOUR ring" I tell her again, NO, mine is just plain with little itty bitty diamond chips in it.She then looks at me and looks at Sid and smiles really big and says to me, IT REALLY IS YOURS. I look at Sid and he smiles at me like he has so many times and says to me, "Well, I suppose if we are going to be married and all, you oughta finally have that engagement ring."
Oh, WOW!! I was in total shock, All the jewelry store personnel were standing around watching, they thought he was the greatest guy ever.(they are right, he is). They always ask about him every time I take my ring in to be inspected and cleaned.
I tell you what, I LOVE him so. He used to say that all he ever wanted to do was make me smile and that was his goal in life.
 And, you know what? they never did size my wedding ring....
So this is what I picked for my favorite memory. It is definitely one I love to share.

Day 4: picture of my night

going to bake some cookies. I won best in show both years I entered my cookies in the fair. I like to say they are the best in Central Washington. I got the "BIG FLUFFY RIBBON" that says so.

add a book for me and TV for Sid, with our critters gathered around. Life is good.

day 3: the cast from my favorite show

Bones is my favorite show, and thanks to DVR I get to watch it on my day off.
I watch very little TV, so I really enjoy the little bit I do like to watch.

day 2: A picture of me and the person I have been closest to the longest

Sid & I on our wedding day. We didn't have an actual wedding.We got married next to the Naches river nearly 25 years ago.

and here we are last Christmas(2009)..I LOVE this Man!!
He KNOWS me and still LOVES me.
I mean REALLY LOVES me..
& REALLY KNOWS me..=]
and they said it wouldn't last. pffft.

day 1: picture of myself & 10 facts

I like this photo because I am tan and blond..2 of my favorite things on me..now for the facts
1)  I am a Christian. I am forgiven and thankful
2)  I LOVE PINK, soft pink, Hot pink..PINK...
3)  I Love Disneyland, if I could figure out a way to live there I would.
4)  I Hate winter, yet love coats and boots
5)  I don't like shopping, yet love full cupboards & new stuff.
6)  I am right handed yet wish I was left handed
7)  I love to sing, but am not very good at it.
8)  I have been married over half my life, and LOVE it.
9)  I skipped the 3rd grade, never really fit in at school my whole life.
10)I Love to read.
Wow..that was much harder than it should have been.

31 DAY CHALLENGE

I thought this looked like something fun to help me be more disciplined with my blogging. Sometimes I need a little structure. I can't promise these will be consecutive or within the 31 days, but I am going to give it a whirl to complete it within a reasonable amount of time. I mean, some days I may have actual stuff I deem worth sharing to talk about instead..Anyhoo, I plan on starting this Tomorrow..Today I have a date..TATA

Day 1 - A picture of yourself and ten facts

Day 2 - A picture of you and the person you have been closest to the longest

Day 3 - A picture of the cast from your favorite show

Day 4 - A picture of your night

Day 5 - A picture of your favorite memory

Day 6 - A picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day

Day 7 - A picture of your most treasured item

Day 8 - A picture that makes you laugh

Day 9 - A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most

Day 10 - A picture of the person you do the craziest things with

Day 11 - A picture of something you hate

Day 12 - A picture of something you love

Day 13 - A picture of your favorite band or artist

Day 14 - A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without

Day 15 - A picture of something you want to do before you die

Day 16 - A picture of someone who inspires you

Day 17 - A picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently

Day 18 - A picture of your biggest insecurity

Day 19 - A picture and a letter

Day 20 - A picture of somewhere you'd love to travel

Day 21 - A picture of something you wish you could forget

Day 22 - A picture of something you wish you were better at

Day 23 - A picture of your favorite book

Day 24 - A picture of something you wish you could change

Day 25 - A picture of your day

Day 26 - A picture of something that means a lot to you

Day 27 - A picture of yourself and a family member

Day 28 - A picture of something you're afraid of

Day 29 - A picture that can always make you smile

Day 30 - A picture of someone you miss

Day 31 - A picture of yourself

New Year, New Possibilities?

I don't do them.
I think they are kinda silly.
I mean who really does it and sticks to it?
Yep, you guessed it..New Year's resolutions.
I have NEVER made them. NEVER
Never had to worry about keeping them.
Or breaking them.
I made one this year....
I made a resolution to log 2011 miles on my motorcycle.
Not impossible. Totally DOABLE...
I put 500 miles on it since buying it 2 years ago.
Granted, life has been a bit chaotic since then.
With Sid unable to ride or drive anymore I found excuses not to go.
It was so hard going without him.
 I cry all the way out the driveway and fog up my goggles.
I usually stop crying by the time I get 2 blocks down the road.
I LOVE riding.
I just hadn't planned on doing it without MY LOVE. :(
I watch him smiling and waving as I leave.
He is so happy for me. He Loves seeing me ride my bike.
It is a time that I feel that sense of ahhhh..I can breathe..
I can't explain it. It is a sense of freedom and release of care.
It is a time that nothing matters. I can sing at the top of my lungs(and I do),
talk to God, just empty my mind of all the stuff that is always
racing up there. the stuff that threatens to steal my joy.
After alot of soul searching and prayer, I realized it was
mostly fear and guilt keeping me from going riding last year.
I felt guilty going without Sid, and fearful of something happening
while I was out riding. I have not been given a spirit of fear, and I
refuse to live in that any longer. So this is my first resolution, and
I am hoping I can keep it. God willing, I will..