First Loves

Hollywood, America, girlfriends...all point to this syndrome, at one time or another, of "first love" and especially "the one that got away." It seems everyone has a skeleton in their closet of someone they loved from afar, or someone they loved who never returned it, or maybe they returned it but then left, whatever. Most of the people I know who have one of these have them from back in the teens or early 20s, before husbands and children and mortgages, and reality! Thus the lost love then takes on this fantasy-like quality, putting the person on way more of a pedestal than he/she ever would deserve in real life! I have one of these, from eighth grade. Went with him for 9 months (that's a long time in eighth grade!) and he broke up with me after cheating one me (which back then was he kissed someone else) and I was DEVESTATED. Anyone else have a story like that? First love, first breakup? Have you seen them since?

Hoosier Arctic

"Brrrrr" doesn't begin to describe it. Seven was the high yesterday and it got to zero. ZERO. Those of you who live here know what I mean when I say it's possible for cold to burn you. Those of you who've moved are grateful to forget. Those of you who live somewhere warm and don't know what I'm talking about: you suck! Today it's supposed to warm up (I say with a smirk) to fifteen but the windchill is still negative 25. Quick, somebody check my countdown to summer and remind me of how many more days...

Just Call Me Amish-boy

In an episode of Friends (my all-time favorite show) Chandler talks about his cool new laptop and how he can make lists with cool fonts, and Ross asks can't you just use pencil and paper; to which Chandler replies "No, Amish boy." This is how I feel. I've been on blogspot for awhile now and love it for staying in touch with my friends, but I've been accused of lagging behind the rest of the world by not having a myspace page. Especially for my business. So, reluctantly I allowed one of my employees and my brother to construct and instruct... and now you can see me and my store stuff on myspace.com/bridehelper. Mind you I'm not sure I'll know how to respond to you or post or do any of that stuff, at least not yet; myspace seems much harder in that you have to request and invite and stuff...rather than blogspot where anyone can post a response to me and it doesn't require any effort on my part:) Lazy lazy lazy I am! Wish me luck, there's a million brides on myspace who will hopefully find me now! Of course I'll still be here, blogspot is my first love:)

Home Alone

When I was in middle school my mom worked 3-11's so we were home alone after school for literally the whole afternoon and night, and I hated it. But my kids love the idea of being home alone, and because they're only in 3rd grade and 5th grade we limit it; but because of single mom working (just like my mom was) the schedule dictates that they are alone for 30 minutes twice a week til I get home. They love it! There are lots of rules for safety of course, and phonenumbers in case of an emergency, etc etc. Well for the first time we've been faced with the idea of the oldest home totally alone, for about an hour and a half, and she's totally excited she's big enough to be trusted with something this huge. Of course mommy's less excited. And yet I was babysitting OTHER PEOPLE'S kids by 6th grade, so I'm preparing her (and me!) for that by allowing her small amounts of freedom, little by little. What do you guys think? Is eleven too young?

Kouts HoHoHo

Well this is it! My first Kouts Christmas as a business owner. Not sure if you've heard it on Indiana 105 or if you've read about it in the Post Tribune, but we're having the annual Kouts Open HOuses this weekend Saturday and Sunday both. It's unique because HOMES are open with decorations to look at and goodies to buy! How neat is that! I have the maps if anyone wants one:) Plus downtown Kouts is having its outdoor celebration Saturday, with Santa coming into town on a firetruck at 2 and the town tree-lighting at 4:45, with carolers out on the sidewalks and Mary and Joseph in the tent downtown. I'll be open 8:30-6 (yikes!!!) Saturday and 10-4 Sunday. No day off for me! But how fun...my cousin came in today with lots of his woodworking for the store, trunks and hopechests and stuff, and cute home-made ornaments, along with the purses and jewelry I usually have. Wish me luck!

Porn for Women

My mom sent me this email today entitled "Porn for Women." Included were pictures of gorgeous men, doing the following:
--Bringing home flowers for no reason
--Holding a baby
--Vaccuuming
--Washing dishes
--Standing over a stove in an apron reciting the upcoming evening's dinner
We don't need nudity, we don't need money, we don't even need presents. Just be cute and vaccuum. When my sister had her baby my girlfriend sent her a book with a similar theme: artsy photos of different beautiful men holding different beautiful newborns.

Yum.

;)