I am a product of the 1980's teen scene. Attending high school and college in the 80's - I quickly became a huge fan of John Hughes movies... The characters in his movies were my friends... I longed to be Sam in Sixteen Candles.... Her spunk, her fashion style, and of course the cute senior giving her back her panties over a cake with sixteen candles - classic.. The Breakfast Club made me want to get in trouble and have a Saturday detention... and who would not want to be Ferris Bueller's girlfriend...... I certainly did.... Just loved the way he sang Twist and Shout... and I wanted my best friend to be Ducky.... I wanted to go to Wally World with the Griswolds.... There are so many characters to know and love in Hughes movies... Today, at the ripe old age of 43 years old - I feel young again when I pop one of my favorites into the DVD player....
The 80's were an incredible time to grow up - we had fashion - anybody miss the big hair - big hoops, hot pink tops with a black mini? We had the best music ever..... Adam Ant, The Police, Michael Jackson, Flock of Seagulls, Duran Duran, Oingo Boingo, and oh so many more... I love listening to flashback weekends on the radio... We had the best teen movies - courtesy of John Hughes....
Mr. Mom, Vacation, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, European Vacation, Weird Science, Pretty in Pink, Ferris Buller's Day Off, Some Kind of Wonderful, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, Uncle Buck, Christmas Vacation, Home Alone 1, 2, and 3, and Dutch to name a few...
John Hughes passed away August 6, 2009 at the age of 59. He will truly be missed..
Summer vacation is almost over - yeah.. My favorite holiday of the year is the first day of school....no, I'm kidding but I am looking forward to a little peace and quiet.. The kids are getting on each others nerves and are ready for school to start....
Peace is not the absence of conflict from life, but the ability to cope with it. Author Unknown
I have learned that anytime there is a conflict with the kids - even with my husband, sister, or friend it's best to deal with it head-on.. Deal with it right away helps to open the lines of communication - it helps to get it on the table before it festers into something so big and out of control that it can threaten my sanity and the ones around me... When I am crazy - everyone suffers.... also kidding - or am I?
When the kids start one of their bickering matches - it's time stop what I am doing.. stop them from what they are doing.... I allow each of them to say their side without interruption.. and then we try to resolve it... Sometimes there is no way to resolve it except to say - deal with it... and that's okay too. Life is not always fair.... But with every conflict resolved or not - I require each person to use positive words... no finger pointing... and to ask each other for forgiveness... Many times we will also pray for God's help to give us a forgiving heart and to help with the healing....
Recently I have adopted the idea of writing a love letter - I have had my kids write to each other - letting the other one know the special qualities they see in each other... I love reading those letter because the girls really do express themselves so beautifully and they show how great their love really is......
Kelly's Idea for today - Deal with Conflict right away before it turns to a big ugly monster...
Some of us witnessed the arrogance of Barbara Boxer (CA) as she admonished a brigadier general because he addressed her as "ma'am" and not "Senator" before a Senate hearing. This letter is from a National Guard aviator and Captain for Alaska Airlines. I wonder what he would have said if he were really angry. Long fly Alaska !!!!!
Dear Senator Boxer,
You were so right on when you scolded the General on TV for using the term "ma'am," instead of "Senator." After all, in the military, "ma'am" is a term of respect when addressing a female of superior rank or position.
The general was totally wrong. You are not a person of superior rank or position. You are a member of one of the world's most corrupt organizations, the U.S. Senate, equaled only by the U.S. House of Representatives.
Congress is a cesspool of liars, thieves, inside traders, traitors, drunks (one who killed a staffer, yet is still revered), criminals, and other low level swine who, as individuals (not all, but many) will do anything to enhance their lives, fortunes and power, all at the expense of the People of the United States and its Constitution, in order continually to be re-elected. Many democrats even disregard the probability of our American troops being killed by the releasing of photographs..
How many of you could honestly say, "We pledge our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor"? None? One? Two?
Your reaction to the General shows several things. First is your abysmal ignorance of all things military.. Your treatment of the General shows you to be an elitist of the worst kind. When the General entered the military, as did most of us who served, he wrote the government a blank check, offering his life to protect your derrière now safely and comfortably ensconced in a $20,000 leather chair, paid for by the General's taxes.
You repaid him for this by your pathetic attempt at humiliating him in front of millions.
Second is your puerile character, lack of sophistication and an arrogance which borders on the hubristic. This display of bratty behavior shows you to be a virago, termagant, harridan, nag, scold or shrew, unfit for your position, regardless of the support of the unwashed, uneducated masses who have made California into the laughing stock of the nation.
What I am writing to you, Senator, are the thoughts countless millions of Americans have about Congress, but who lack the energy, ability or time to convey them. Under the democrats, some don't even have the 44 cents to buy the stamp. Regardless of their thoughts, happily for you, most accept that politicians are all pretty much the same and will vote for the one who will bring home the most bacon, even if they are aware just how corrupt that person is.
Lord Acton (1834 - 1902) so aptly charged, "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts absolutely." Unbeknownst to you and your colleagues, Mr. Power has had his way with all of you, and we are all the worse for it.
Finally Senator, I, too, have a title. It is "Right Wing Extremist Potential Terrorist Threat." It is not of my choosing but was given to me by your Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano.
And you were offended by "ma'am"...?
Have a good day. Cheers!
Jim Hill
16808 - 103rd Avenue Court East
South Hill, WA 98375
Written by a fine American from out of state...
Boxer's term expires 2010, lets make sure that happens... and Feinstein in 2012!
I have learned in my "old" age the value of money... I have learned it does NOT grow on trees like I once believed.... I have also learned the importance of being prepared for that rainy day... that unexpected twist in our lives...
Almost two (2) years ago I had a major wake up call. After 23 years of working his way up the corporate ladder and achieving much success as a VP of Sales - my husband's company was bought out by another company and all the VP's were terminated...... I remember the morning that my husband walked in the door and told me he had been fired like it was yesterday.... I seriously thought he was joking.... No one with his track record gets fired.... not possible - especially after he landed the largest contract the company had ever negotiated a few weeks prior... ..
I think the four months that my husband was unemployed - I was in a bubble.. I was neither afraid or sad.. I just was... there... I did learn that he depended a lot more on me than I realized.. I learned that I was the rock in our marriage... our life.... in that season of our marriage.
I know that Dusty (my husband) was in a state of shock.... bad things never happen to him... He had always been blessed with the golden touch.. This upset in his life made him question his worth.. His normal very self assured personality had diminished... He was for the first time in his entire life scared..... What I find amazing is that I was not scared... I knew that we would be okay.. I also believed that Dusty would get a job very soon.. I did not think about our friends who had lost jobs and a year had gone by with no prospects.... I did not fear.... I did have peace... and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt the peace did not come from me...
We have always been a frugal family - always paying off our credit cards each month, paying cash for cars and such, and paying extra on our mortgage payment. I thought I was doing all that I could do to save money..... until I discovered coupons and Target grocery shopping.. In my quest to stretch our dollars - I have had great time saving money with coupons....
Today shopping at Target - I saved$15.75 with normal groceries I purchase.... I love to take my kids shopping - I sent them on a scavenger hunt looking for the items that I have coupons for... I don't do it every time.. Just often enough for it to be fun every time.. The shoppers get a kick out of watching my kids pose with their coupons and found items... Today was fun.... After the shopping - I received a coupon to buy one pizza get the 2nd free... So guess what my kids had for lunch???
Today my husband is working - I am working from home... We have a learned not to take our careers for granted... we have learned to live more modestly... We have learned that God will Always provide.. We have learned that there is a time for each of us to be the strong one in the marriage... and we have learned that Target's prices beat out most super market prices...
