Things I want to do by the time G Returns

1 Organize Garage to fit a boat
2 Buy a small power boat
3 Make the kids sleep in their own beds
4 Buy a new car
5 Get a dog
6 Plan a trip to Disney for when he gets back (actually the kids are the ones who want to do this)
7 Buy a windsurfing board
8 Do some traveling
9 Start going to the Catholic Church
10 Keep my kids and myself safe and not do anything too stupid
11 Pray a lot

So it's official - deployment for G in t-oh, about 3 weeks......Saturday we leave for Michigan to see his family for a week - get back and the kids and I are off to Michigan, Ohio, Tennnessee and Georgia for 10 days....
Luckily we will be busy but it still bites - they are saying til November - ugh!
With deployment comes the loss of a BF but an array of opportunities open up. I will for sure buy a small power boat, as we were absolutely unable to find a viable sailboat this summer....maybe a new car? Not sure there....the current one - which has been paid off for a year - has been nickel and diming me to death - and with the fact that insurance will be cheaper and moorage will be nonexistent will free me up for a car payment...who knows.
Also will start attending (most likely) the Catholic Church - either on base or the one in town....probably with friends...I would like to get to Austin to see my brother....lots of possibilities.
Uh oh kids just woke up - and Emilie went straight for her itouch to watch her My Little Pony Episodes....I am almost regretting giving that thing to her before her b-day but wanted to keep her entertained on the many trips without having to haul a bunch of crap (ie DVD player).
On another note - sleeping - we were trying to have them sleep upstairs in their own beds before we knew Greg was leaving, but now it seems a bit unrealistic....I am such a freak about sleeping when he is gone anyhow we will likely just all sleep downstairs...I hate it for all of us but I think that is what will make us most comfortable...who knows I am so back and forth on this one....maybe if my parents drive me back down they can start in their rooms and we'll see from there. It really would be nice for them to actually use their rooms. I curse the day I ever slept with either of them (back when they were babies).
There are parts of me that like being single - with just the kids (clearly not the sleeping part) - and while this happened SO fast - I am going to be able to get a lot done and have a lot of freedom. Granted it will be busy - but that is ok too.
Writing this has made me realize that I do want my kids in their own beds - now and always. It is what Al Cervic would do. Thanks blog for making me see things I would not have otherwise seen! I guess that is your job.
Also on the short list of purchases is a windsurfing board for Greg - we'll see.....I also want to clean out and organize my garage (to better fit a boat in there) and maybe get a dog for Emilie. I think it is time to make a list...

Some Observations:
Observation 1 - Yoloing helps me keep things in perspective. It is cathartic for me and the ultimate relaxation (and it is core work too)
Observation 2 - Bethenny Frankel rocks
Observation 3 - I don't know if Catholic is the answer or not - all I know is that our church is no longer the answer - and I have a feeling most churches here are like ours..
Observation 4 - I want to be Audrey Hepburn
Observation 5 - I want to live the way Jesus would want me to live and I pray for His guidance to leae me down that path

Oh Blog...how I have missed you! Al Cervic would have never waited almost a month before posting again....so lets see - what's new? Took Yolo out all last weekend and left it at Lily's (she lives on the water - much better than dragging it to the top of my car each time I want to use it). Quit reading The Places in Between - out of utter bordeom and the fact that I could not keep up with Hajij this and Hussein that....I have decided that it is better to not waste time reading a book you "should" read in favor of a book you want to read. Case in point - I am now reading Bethenny Frankel's "Place of Yes" - and yes she once was one of the "real" housewives of NYC - I didn;t think I could stand her - until I started reading her books (Naturally Thin was great too). Just very frank - no BS - not touchy feely like the Happiness Project (which luckily I only read one chapter a month of that...)
We have also decided to leave our church and I think I want to be Catholic again. Greg is NOT happy about this prospect so much that he forbids (?) his kids from becomming Catholic. Interesting - it is going to be an uphill battle for sure. I really just want him to keep an open mind and not be small minded like so many in this small town.
I really want to document my evolution into middle age on this blog - always a seeker, I feel now so compelled ot be my authentic self - and be true to who I am. Seeking - I find things about myself that I pretended for so long were not there. For example, I have a hard time being an evangelical Christian without feeling like it is forced. I am liberal and conservative. I struggle not to be small minded. I don't like following others because I am supposed to. I like to figure things out for myself and either buy-in or not. I want to keep improving myself to be a better mother, wife, coach, woman, instructor, and yes, Christian - but I want to do this in a way that keeps my authenticity intact.
Another person I really admire is Audrey Hepburn...and I am reading (slowly to make sure I absorb it) How to be Lovely - the Audrey Hepburn way of Life. I almost named this blog what would Audrey Hepburn do - but it lacked the zing of Al Cervic....
Audrey's lesson for today is to keep it all in perspective. She lived in Nazi-occupied Holland for her teenage years learned to appreciate small things we often take for granted. Now I am not saying I am going to yell "Praise God" everytime I get a glass of water or take a hot shower, but I am going to try and live more mindfully and thankfully - and not get mired down in the "small stuff". My goals this week is to try to keep life in perspective, be thankful for what I have, encourage those around me, and try to tell the truth and avoid gossip as much as possible. I think those are goals even Al would be proud of...

Deep Thoughs on Caddyshack...

So on the advice of my brother, I decided to give the blog, a "handle". Upon waking at 1am and unable to return to slumber, I began thinking of catchy names for my new little "pet".
If you already know who Al Cervic is - congratulations! If not, do me a favor and go rent Caddyshack and you will soon be enlightened - as I have been -
Now I am a big believer of What Would Jesus Do.....but I think even Jesus would be rolling His eyes at how overused and trite WWJD has become. I try to live every day the WWJD way - and always fall short - I decided to have a little fun - and since Al Cervic pretty much is the embodiment of fun - a title was born.
Now I could have gone with Bea Arthur, the Fonz or even other people from the movie, such as Danny Noonan or Ty Webb.....but they all lacked the panache of AC.
Al Cervic knows how to have fun - and he does not care what kind of impression he makes on the so-called hierarchy at Bushwood. Like Al - I strive to have a good time and not worry so much about what people will think of me. Remember after all, at the end of the movie - Al stayed relaxed, and collected and ended up winning the tournamet. Al Cervic had inner peace and people wanted to be around him for that reason - the anthesis of Judge Smails - who despite the proclomation "Spalding and I are Old Pals" - not even his grandson wanted to hang out with him. Even Noonan got the message in the end and sacrificed his scholarship - to hang out with a guy who was fun, put on no airs and was happy with who he was.
I hope you like the new title....

Ok so I just started reading The Place Between by Rory Stewart. This guy walked across Afghanistan from Herat to Kabul.....interesting - although - why? Guess I will find out in my "read". Afghanistan is such a sad place...such a turbulent history. The only way things will be better is if people in the west start giving a crap....Such a bright, diverse and eagar group too - kind of reminds me of Poland in the thirteenth century (or there about) when they kept getting their asses kicked....I can only hope Afghanistan will again be at the very least a place of some hope. Not if we pull out again after we get our "interest" settled....like we did in the early 80s. Isolationism does not work anymore - and anyone who tries to tell you we need to look out for number 1 (ie the west or better the USA) can expect another 9/11 only on a greater magnitude...thoughts??? The pennies for peace website is a great place to visit if you actually give a fig about the folks of Pakistan and Afghanistan. www.ikat.org is also a great place to visit....

apparently you don't have to see Kung Fu Panda 1 to appreciate Kung Fu Panda 2. It was totally enjoyable.....

did anyone see the first NH presidential debate? The only viable candidate in my opinion is Mitt....I will just have to overlook the fact that the hero of his faith is a guy who had to put on magic glasses to read some golden plates he dug up....

so I can't figure out where the missing pieces to my rack are to get my board on top of my car....grr...and we still don't have a sailboat...double grrr....taking the kids to see Kung Fu Panda 2 in Destin today....have not yet seen Kung Fu Panda 1...hope I can keep up....

Has anyone seen the most recent Time Magazine? It is about a pastor in Michigan disavowing the theory of hell. Pretty interesting (see and you were wondering when I would actually start talking about some deep stuff). His theory - no hell exists and Jesus came to save everyone. Not sure if I can buy it - but it does raise some good points about people - humans - who think they are fit to judge who is in heaven and who is not - particularly down here in the Bible belt - and I don't mean that derogatarily as I, generally like the Bible and believe what it has to say. I just believe it can be interpreted differently. When I first became a Christian, I too liked to tell people who was in hell and who was not. While I do feel the Bible is pretty clear on the issue of where non-believers go - I am not sure exactly what happens when you die any more than I am sure the Bengals are ever going to win another Superbowl. Pastor Bell (the guy who discounts the fact there is hell - coincidence in that rhyme, I think not) says that while Jesus is clear on how you can attain eternal life - he also says that nothing can seperate us from the love of God and that he will wipe away every tear. Here is the thing - if Jesus is omnipotent (and I believe he is) why the hell? I mean, I get why there has to be good and evil on earth but why in the afterlife. Philosophocially you can say that you put yourself in your own personal hell here on earth by not following God's laws and having a relationship with Jesus. I don't know - I am not going to say for a fact that there is or there is not a hell or propose to know who is a resident there. I don't think my salvation is dependent on what happens to non-believers. I will continue to live a John 3:16 life.....but save the judging for the only one who really can judge. Happy Sunday! two more boats to look at today....good thing about at 30 footer is that I will be able to fit the Yolo on no prob.

so Emilie peed again...in my bed.....that is why I am awake right now....

Oh by the way we actually a real pool (see post from 07) to replace the Sam's club special. Actually that is another thing I bought on my own - as well as the decking that went around it. It is above ground. I still think it is rather ghetto and dream daily of putting in an inground pool. We are also thinking about getting a trampoline for the kids but think it may be too white-trashy. Especially when accompanied by an above ground pool....thoughts??

Yay I figured it out! Hell, if I was smart enough back in 2007 I am wondering why it took me this long 4 years later. Must be because I am closer to 40. I started this blog again because the Happiness Project told me blogging would make me "happier". Hmmmm worth a try. I have committed to read 1 chapter of the Happiness Project per month for the whole of 2011. So far it is pretty cheesy but she has some good tips. And since I have decided to approach this new year with more tolerance (very hard for me) I thought I would give this Happiness broad a chance. We'll see. We're supposed to look at two boats this weekend. Greg thinks I am kidding but if we don't have one by the beginning of may when he leaves for New Mexico - I am buying one on my own. Don't think I can't do it. I just bought a new washing machine the other day - I know a washing machiene and a 30 foot sailboat are two very different things but I am pretty independent in the money realm - couple this with the fact that I have a tiny spending problem and viola! Boat in our future - near future. The washing machiene is pretty sweet. Never thought I could get excited about a washing machiene but this one is all digitized. You can even create your own personal wash cycle. I am surprised the thing does not talk to you! Ah the life of an American housewife....ugh! Wine club tonight that should be fun - if I can get rid of the extra 2lbs of fat/water I am carrying around. I suspect it is water because I have been not eating (or drinking - with the exception of wine) very much. Perhaps that is my problem.....